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Argument185 The following appeared in a letter from the owner of the Sunnyside Towers apartment building to its manager.
"One month ago, all the showerheads on the first five floors of Sunnyside Towers were modified to restrict the water flow to approximately 1/3 of its original force. Although actual readings of water usage before and after the adjustment are not yet available, the change will obviously result in a considerable savings for Sunnyside Corporation, since the corporation must pay for water each month. Except for a few complaints about low water pressure, no problems with showers have been reported since the adjustment. Clearly, restricting water flow throughout all the 20 floors of Sunnyside Towers will increase our profits further."
In this letter, the author finally concludes that restricting water flow throughout all the 20 floors of Sunnyside Towers will increase profits further. To support this conclusion, the owner cites the fact that to restrict the water flow on the first five floors can save for Sunnyside Corporation, and no one complains. However, the evidences provide little credible support for the owner's argument, as discussed below.
First of all, the author fails to convince us that the change will obviously result in a considerable savings for Sunnyside Corporation. Like the owner said, the actual readings of water usage before and after the adjustment are not yet available, so there is no direct number to prove author's assumption. Meanwhile, it may be because the water flow is restricted to be smaller and force decreases, the time for using water can be longer. Thus, the total quantity of water may be not reduced. Therefore, fact of saving for Sunnyside Corporation is unfounded.
The second, even if the adjustment can actually reduce the saving for Sunnyside Corporation, there is no evidence to prove that there are only a few of complaints. In fact, one month is too short to say that in the future there are not lots of complaints. In addition, living on the higher floor may demand the water flow much more serious than living on the first 5 floors. If this suggestion is accepted by the manager, there will be more and more complaints from the higher floors. Thus, author's assumption for the complaints in the future is unconvinced.
Finally, for company's profit, it is not determined only by saving water, so the conclusion of increasing profits further is also unreasonable. Besides saving water, the profits may depend on the rents of the apartment, sales on the apartment. The payment for water is just a small portion of cost. If the fact of small water flow is dispersed to the public by its original and current clients, people can think that the company's service is deficient, which can negatively affect on the sale and renting, and then profits. Therefore, author's conclusion can lead the profits to reduce not increase further.
In conclusion, the argument is unconvincing as it stands. To strengthen it the owner must provide clear evidences that the use of a low water flow can reduces total water usage, as well as this adjustment will positively influence company's profits further. |
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