【Flyer杀G作文组】1月28日作业Argument35 By Martinmiao

MartinmiaoUID: 2993447

Argument No.35
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."

In this argument it shows that a steady decline in the average number of headaches reported by participants in a twenty-year study is caused by the use of salicylates which are members of the same chemical family as aspirin. Then, this argument concludes that we can expect a continued steady decline in the number of headaches by new use for salicylates. After a critical thinking will find this argument is well-presented, but not thoroughly well-reasoned.

To begin with, this argument just shows salicylates are members of the same chemical family as aspirin and aspirin is used to treat headaches. However, from this we can’t conclude salicylates can be used to treat headaches. From the knowledge of chemistry I learnt at college, the characteristic of the chemical materials in the same chemical family vary from each other. As a result, we can’t make sure salicylates can be used to treat headaches.

Then, this argument shows many foods are naturally rich in salicylates. This means salicylates have long been ingested by human being, but not ingested recently. Just assumes salicylates have the same function like aspirin. Even though for the past several decades food-processing companies have also been adding salicylates to foods as preservatives, we can’t also conclude the salicylates really helped in the steady decline in the average number of headaches.

What’s more, the steady decline in the average number of headaches may be caused by many reasons, such as the change of environment and the living styles in Mentia. Recently, our health technology is highly developed which makes people healthier than before. Beside, people today pay more attention to their health than before. All reasons above may cause the steady decline in the average number of headaches. As a result, we can’t make sure the effect of salicylates added to foods as preservatives in the steady decline in the average number of headaches.

Finally, the arguer assumes that there is a causal relationship between the decline in the number of average reported headaches and the rising commercial use of salicylates in past twenty-year study. But all the evidences in the argument don’t support the assumption. Firstly, the arguer does not provide any evidence to indicate that there are no analgesics other than salicylates used by patients who suffering from headaches. Secondly, we should not neglect the possibility that some of the subjects in the study did suffer from headaches but did not report. Therefore, we cannot believe the result of the study to be a sufficient support to the arguer’s conclusion.

To sum up, the conclusion in this argument is problematic and misleading. Before we can accept the conclusion, we need more information about the real biological effect of salicylates and the cause of headaches. To strengthen the argument, the arguer should provide persuasive evidence to verify the causal relationship between salicylates and declining headaches in the study.