【Flyer杀G】小组-7.12 Argument81, by Sean

柏拉图的世界UID: 2581296

TOPIC: ARGUMENT81 - Allergies are an overreaction of the immune system to certain stimuli. One view is that allergies can develop as the result of childhood exposure to certain irritants, such as dust or animal dander, while the immune system is not yet mature. Another view is that exposure to particular bacteria early in childhood actually triggers the proper development of the immune system, and that limiting exposure to these bacteria through excessive hygiene can cause children's immune systems to overreact to certain irritants later on. A new study supports the second view: children who are washed especially frequently and whose parents clean their homes especially frequently are more likely to develop allergies than are other children. So in order to reduce the incidence of allergies in children and adults, parents should not limit children's exposure to irritants or bacteria.
WORDS: 343
TIME: 00:30:00
DATE: 2010/7/12 23:48:14

In the argument above, the author made a judgment between two contradictive views of whether exposure to stimuli in childhood would invite allergies or prevent from them. His/her reasoning mainly relies on a new study in favor of view supporting stimuli in childhood. However, his/her conclusion to unravel this issue suffers from several logic flaws, as well as his/her consequent recommendation for parents not to limit children's exposure to irritants or bacteria.

The primary evidence of the argument, the study, contains insufficient information to justify its reliability. The author fails to tell us the number of children in study, and the less children are observed the less credible this study turns to be. It is also missed whether these children are randomly selected and capable representatives of kids in the area where the author's recommendation is expected to be applied. Maybe these children are merely from a particular primary school, or from a confined range of age.

Supposing that the study is statistically reliable, it still fails to reveal the causal relation between allergies and exposure to stimuli. Since health condition these children is not offered, we have justification to assume that the kids develop allergies in this study are immanently sensitive towards stimuli and easy to get allergies regardless of whether they undergo exposure. And other factors possible to invite allergies should be ruled out. It is possible that some children became allergic because of misuse of particular medicines, or other accidental infection which is ignored by researchers or by the author.

Moreover, all the means to prevent stimuli mentioned in the study is the to clean home, which cannot clearly classify children into exposed and unexposed. As we know, some kinds of stimuli escape from ordinary home cleaning, so they still act on children. Besides, the environment monitored is home, and it remains uncertain whether and how these children underwent stimuli in school, outdoors or other places. In short, the study actually cannot make sure whether and how children are exposed, let alone the existence of relation between exposure and allergies, considering all the information presented here.

Even if lack of exposure to stimuli is responsible for the development of allergies, the author’s brief suggestion that parents should not limit children’s exposure to irritants and bacteria calls for reconsideration. It is too vague for parents to deploy, lacking feasible and measurable methods. Take the means in the study for example. Noting that in the study children whose houses were “frequently” cleaned are inclined to get allergies, it remains a question what a frequency can be taken as threshold. Since too much stimuli would undermine health with no doubt, what is the appropriate amount of exposure? What are acceptable stimuli and what are not?

To conclude, in reviewing the author’s reasoning and presented evidence, his/her verdict about the debate and recommendation are insufficiently reasonable. Better that the author should provide more information to convince us that the study is statistically reliable, samples are capable to support cogent comparison, and possible influential factors are ruled out. Besides, in order to make his/her suggestion fair enough, the author can numerate more conducive and detailed strategies to parents.