【10G10Hawk】小组8月14日任务——Argument35

谦行天下UID: 2797557

TOPIC: ARGUMENT35 - The following appeared in the summary of a study on headaches suffered by the residents of Mentia.

"Salicylates are members of the same chemical family as aspirin, a medicine used to treat headaches. Although many foods are naturally rich in salicylates, for the past several decades food-processing companies have also been adding salicylates to foods as preservatives. This rise in the commercial use of salicylates has been found to correlate with a steady decline in the average number of headaches reported by participants in our twenty-year study. Recently, food-processing companies have found that salicylates can also be used as flavor additives for foods. With this new use for salicylates, we can expect a continued steady decline in the number of headaches suffered by the average citizen of Mentia."

周日休息！

czlilacUID: 2842584

TOPIC: ARGUMENT35 - The following appeared in the summary of a study on headaches suffered by the residents of Mentia.

"Salicylates are members of the same chemical family as aspirin, a medicine used to treat headaches. Although many foods are naturally rich in salicylates, for the past several decades food-processing companies have also been adding salicylates to foods as preservatives. This rise in the commercial use of salicylates has been found to correlate with a steady decline in the average number of headaches reported by participants in our twenty-year study. Recently, food-processing companies have found that salicylates can also be used as flavor additives for foods. With this new use for salicylates, we can expect a continued steady decline in the number of headaches suffered by the average citizen of Mentia."
WORDS: 403
TIME: 00:30:00
DATE: 2010-8-14 15:20:46

Based on the evidence that the salicylate may contribute to the decline in the average number of headaches and many food-processing companies have added it to their products, it seems plausible for the author to anticipate the number of headaches in Meatia will be decrease. However, several untenable respects are revealed to be covered in the argument by further scrutiny as follow.

The most conspicuous flaw is that we are not given any effective and strong scientific statistic to indicate that salicylates really contribute to treat headaches. It is wholly possible that the effectual of the treatment is just a advertisement from some companies which attract residents to buy the their products. The author should rule out this possibility before coming to the conclusion that salicylates will help to treat headaches.

Furthermore, it is mentioned the rise in commercial use of aslicylates render the decline in the average number of headaches among the participants in their 20 years study. However, the author failed to further provide the detailed information about the participants who reported their headaches had declined, such information involves the ages, sex, occupations, and the physical status, as well as their living styles, it is entirely possible that the reporters are young men and their work are much more easier than others, or their pressure are much lower, or they take much more sports than the others. In addition, the fallen number of people who report headaches may relate to their more healthy living styles and more alimentary eating habits, while have little or even have nothing to do with aslicylates. After all, we are not aware of this important information about the participants, thus, we can be convinced.

Finally, whether the citizens of Mentia will be interested in the food that added salicylates is still open to doubt. The author failed to consider the eating habit and customs of the local dwellers. Perhaps, the residents of Mentia dislike the taste of the food at all, and the hot food is their favorite, while the foods which added salicylates are quite sweet. In addition, whether there are any side effects of this material is still a question. It is completely possible that although it can contribute of the treatment of headaches, it can result in some other diseases, such as heart problems, etc.

To sum up, the argument suffers from many drawbacks. To convince me, much more respects presented above should be provided and well reasoned. For instance, the side effect of the material, the basic information about the reporters in the study.

czlilacUID: 2842584

2

sharonyeUID: 2862009

题目：ARGUMENT35 - The following appeared in the summary of a study on headaches suffered by the residents of Mentia.
"Salicylates are members of the same chemical family as aspirin, a medicine used to treat headaches. Although many foods are naturally rich in salicylates, for the past several decades food-processing companies have also been adding salicylates to foods as preservatives. This rise in the commercial use of salicylates has been found to correlate with a steady decline in the average number of headaches reported by participants in our twenty-year study. Recently, food-processing companies have found that salicylates can also be used as flavor additives for foods. With this new use for salicylates, we can expect a continued steady decline in the number of headaches suffered by the average citizen of Mentia."
字数：407          用时：00:38:18          日期：2010-8-15 下午 03:24:28
In this argument, the arguer came to the conclusion that salicylates would be used as flavor addictives for foods which would lead to steady decline in the number of headaches in Mentia. His/Her conclusion seems reasonable at first glance, for he/she has showed us that salictlats is in the same chemical family as  aspirin, which is used to treat headaches. At the same time, the author cited a survey showing the average headache decline in twenty years is in relatated to the use of salicilates as preservatives. However, a careful look will reveal how groundless the argument is.
In the first place, the study provided is not reliable as it stands. There is no evdence showing it is the salicylates that contributed to the decline of headaches. As we all know, twenty years is so long a time that poeople' life style may changed a lot, as a result, they become more relaxiable which attributes to less headaches. Also, it is possible the improvement of the environment and food quality make people healthier than before, so they are not so suffering from headache as usual.
What is more, the ability of salicylates in treating headaches is not clear. Although it is in the same chemical family as aspirin, it is really possible they are different in construction which will make the chemical function of them absolutely different. After all, there is no scientifical evidence showing salicylates can be used to treat headaches, either. If it is the case, the conclution that using salicylates can make the headache decline is still in need of futher study.
Again, granted salictlates can be of some help to headaches, it is doubtful that whether only servered as flavor addutives can make a difference. As mentioned in the argument, many foods are naturelly rich in salicylates, while flavor additives could only be a bit little. How can we believe the little use of salicylates can decline the headaches when the plenty of that in foods can not?  
To sume up, the conclusion in the argument is not persuasive. Before I can accept the conclusion, the author must provide more evidence showing the decline of headaches in the twenty years is owe to the use of salicylates. To better evaluate the argument, he/she would need to show us scientific evidence about the function of salicylates in headache. In addition, how much of it can really make a differece is also an useful information.

sharonyeUID: 2862009

2