Argument 162

Jamin_CheungUID: 2752925

TOPIC: ARGUMENT162 - A recent study shows that people living on the continent of North America suffer 9 times more chronic fatigue and 31 times more chronic depression than do people living on the continent of Asia. Interestingly, Asians, on average, eat 20 grams of soy per day, whereas North Americans eat virtually none. It turns out that soy contains phytochemicals called isoflavones, which have been found to possess disease-preventing properties. Thus, North Americans should consider eating soy on a regular basis as a way of preventing fatigue and depression.
WORDS: 385
TIME: 00:30:00
DATE: 2010-2-8 22:31:56

In this passage, the author asserts that in order to preventing fatigue and depression, North Americans ought to eat soy regularly. To support his claim, he cites a recent study on chronic fatigue and depression in North America and Asia. Yet, close scrutiny will reveal some critically logical flaws in his argument.

The main problem is the writer unsubstantially assumes that Asian’s lower percentage in suffering chronic fatigue and depression results from eating habit of soy. Yet, the ostensible causal relationship remains to be questioned. We can suppose that North Americans might suffer much more pressures from society owing to the highly developed industrialization while Asian enjoy a relaxed life. Naturely, we will get to the conclusion that Asian are sure to be less likely to have diseases like chronic fatigue and chronic depression but the result will do nothing with eating soy. Without ruling out such possibilities, I can't be assured that eating soy per day is the main element that results in different cases of chronic fatigue and deprssion.

And when considering the cause of a larger number of people who suffer fatigue and depression in North America, I think that the writer might fail to take other factors into consideration. It's entirely possible that the distinct life styles, genes, and climate have different impacts on people from Asia and North America respectively. So I recommend the writer to analysize the difference between Asians and North Americans and then carry out relevant scientific researches. Perhaps, in this way we can find more effective measures to prevent fatigue and depression rather than eating soy.

What’s more, even if it proves that phytochemicals called isoflavones in soy possess disease-preventing properties, it's not sure that its properties are helpful to prevention of chronic fatigue and chronic depression. Obviously, the author doesn't provide us with convincing evidence to show that soy can prevent chronic fatigue and chronic depression. And the effect of soy on the two diseases is still open to doubt, I think it's too hasty for the writer to reach his conclusion.

In sum, the supports to the writer's statement are far from strong enough. To bolster his idea, he had better conduct researches on people of North America by compare the condition of a group who eat soy per day with that of a group who don't eat soy. I also need further scientific studies to make it clear how isoflavones functions in preventing diseases.