argument35 有拍必回！

bzr2915UID: 2612029

35The 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."


There are some obvious flaws, which weaken the logic of the argument, such as the arguer neglect or forget to mention the function of salicylates, the effect of other factors, the process of 20 years study, as well as the use method and the sub-effect of this special chemical. I will point out all these logical flaws and discuss why as follows.

While salicylates are members of chemical family as aspirin, there is no evidence or a further explanation to substantiate its medical function as the same as aspirin. It is quite possible that the steady headache decline due to other effective factors, which has no relative with salicylates, such as the improvement of medical technology, more healthy life-style, a better living environment and a more comfortable job than 20 years ago. In this argument we should also pay attention to the particular area, Mentia, whose citizen might be suit for all the foregoing conditions under a higher living quality and govenment's powerful policy to improve the environment. In this case, whether salicylates have the function or contribute to decline headache is open to doubt. Thus, regardless of all these alternative explanations and the real function of salicylates, it is too hasty to reach the conclusion that salicylates which used as preservatives result in a steady decline headache.

In addition, the information about the 20 years study is too vague to convince the readers, which lacks of details about the research area, related people and the number of samples. Whether some major groups participated in the study, such as the citizen of Mentia, and whether the sample pool is large enough to draw a general conclusion are not mentioned at all. Also, who conduct the survey is not mentioned, if the study was made by the food-processing companies, which would fail to strengthen its reliability. Therefore, without a more specific statement about the study which as the main evidence of the argument to make a better support, it is not reasonable to draw the conclusion of salicylats' work.

The argument also fails to consider about the sub-effect of salicylates, it is likely that this chemical is harmful to human beings by a slight way, the fatal effect might be appear after several years. What's more, is it the more the better about the use of salicylates? What about an over-use of it? Without a further study related about the use method of salicylates, the author claim that use salicylates as flavor additives is far from responsibility, and s/he also can not draw a general conclusion about the steady decline headache would be continue by a more comprehensive use of salicylates.

To sum up, the argument, while it seems logical at first glance, has some flaws as discussed. It would be improved by providing a specific statement about the function and the use method of salicylates. And it could also be more accessible by showing the details of the 20 years study which could excludes all the other exploitations of the conclusion.