argument53 FLY AW小组第四十一次作业

xmbjowlUID: 2182375

TOPIC: ARGUMENT53 - Thirteen years ago, researchers studied a group of 25 infants who showed signs of mild distress when exposed to unfamiliar stimuli such as an unusual odor or a tape recording of an unknown voice. They discovered that these infants were more likely than other infants to have been conceived in early autumn, a time when their mothers' production of melatonin-a hormone known to affect some brain functions-would naturally increase in response to decreased daylight. In a follow-up study conducted earlier this year, more than half of these children-now teenagers-who had shown signs of distress identified themselves as shy. Clearly, increased levels of melatonin before birth cause shyness during infancy and this shyness continues into later life.
WORDS: 524          TIME: 上午 12:22:23          DATE: 2006-7-12

In this argument, the author asserts that the so-called shyness during infancy is due to levels of melatonin before birth, and the shyness would continue to exist in a child's later life. To support the assertion, a study covers a span of thirteen years is mentioned in the argument, through which the arguer intends to establish some interrelationship between the melatonin related to the seasons and the expression of shyness. Unfortunately, the conclusion drawn from the evidence mentioned above is not convincing enough for us to accept.

To begin with, the study conducted thirteen years ago is statistically unreliable, as it stands. Firstly, no evidence is provided that the chosen group of 25 infants is basically same in some major characters, such as the gender, the age, etc. Also, the total amount of the group seems not large enough to be representative of the overall group of infants, since 25 is so few, which lends little credence to the following deduction.

Even assuming that the study is substantiated enough, the causality established between the shyness and the chemical secretion of melatonin is unverified. On the one hand, no evidence indicates that the responses of those infants in the form of mild distress are out of shyness. The arguer fails to consider that the 25 infants who showed signs of mild distress may be caused by physical discomfort rather than shyness. On the other hand, other possibilities could also be responsible for the shyness, such as the family environment, the inherent characteristic, etc. Thus, without precluding all the other reasons, the arguer cannot convince us the authenticity of the cause-and- effect relationship. Again, it is entirely possible that the melatonin produced by the child’s mother could only affect the brain of the mother, rather than that of the infant. If so, the melatonin cannot result in the child’s shyness.

Given that the shyness during infancy is related the melatonin, whether the shyness would continue into later life is open to doubt. The children’ subjective feeling cannot be sound evidence demonstrating the existence of shyness. Perhaps the children make up the fact which misleads the judge of the researchers. Or perhaps the children say so in order to be consistent with others. If so, maybe our researchers should resort to some scientific machine to measure the existence of the so-called shyness accurately.

Besides, even assuming the existence of the shyness in the children’ later life, there is no evidence that the melatonin continues to be responsible for the shyness. As infants grow up, other external factors would work. Lots of other more sound reasons could explain the expression of shyness. For example, the growing environment, includes the family relationship, the groups of friends they make, the interests they gravitate to, and the list could be endless. Again, without ruling out these above-mentioned possibilities, the causality is open to doubt.

In conclusion, the suggestion in the argument is unsound as it stands, for several logical fallacies. To strengthen the arguer’s assertion, more detailed information concerning the sample characters, the efficacy of measurement of the shyness should be provided. Also, other potential reasons should be further investigated.

honeyviolaUID: 2199703

In this argument, the author asserts that the so-called shyness during infancy is due to levels of melatonin before birth, and the shyness would continue to exist in a child's later life. To support the assertion, a study covers a span of thirteen years is mentioned in the argument, through which the arguer intends to establish some interrelationship between the melatonin related to the seasons and the expression of shyness. Unfortunately, the conclusion drawn from the evidence mentioned above is not convincing enough for us to accept.

To begin with, the study conducted thirteen years ago is statistically unreliable, as it stands. Firstly, no evidence is provided that the chosen group of 25 infants is basically same in some major characters, such as the gender, the age, etc. Also, the total amount of the group seems not large enough to be representative of the overall group of infants, since 25 is so few, which lends little credence to the following deduction.

Even assuming that the study is substantiated enough, the causality established between the shyness and the chemical secretion of melatonin is unverified. On the one hand, no evidence indicates that the responses of those infants in the form of mild distress are out of shyness. The arguer fails to consider that the 25 infants who showed signs of mild distress may be caused by physical discomfort rather than shyness. On the other hand, other possibilities could also be responsible for the shyness, such as the family environment, the inherent characteristic, etc.Thus, without precluding all the other reasons, the arguer cannot convince us the authenticity of the cause-and- effect relationship. Again, it is entirely possible that the melatonin produced by the child’s mother could only affect the brain of the mother, rather than that of the infant. If so, the melatonin cannot result in the child’s shyness.

Given that the shyness during infancy is related the melatonin, whether the shyness would continue into later life is open to doubt. The children’ subjective feeling cannot be sound evidence demonstrating the existence of shyness. Perhaps the children make up the fact which misleads the judge of the researchers. Or perhaps the children say so in order to be consistent with others. If so, maybe our researchers should resort to some scientific machine to measure the existence of the so-called shyness accurately.

Besides, even assuming the existence of the shyness in the children’ later life, there is no evidence that the melatonin continues to be responsible for the shyness. As infants grow up, other external factors would work. Lots of other more sound reasons could explain the expression of shyness. For example, the growing environment, includes the family relationship, the groups of friends they make, the interests they gravitate to, and the list could be endless. Again, without ruling out these above-mentioned possibilities, the causality is open to doubt.

In conclusion, the suggestion in the argument is unsound as it stands, for several logical fallacies. To strengthen the arguer’s assertion, more detailed information concerning the sample characters, the efficacy of measurement of the shyness should be provided. Also, other potential reasons should be further investigated.

倒数第二段和正数第三段感觉上都是在说melatonin和shyness 的关系，尽管是从孩子成长角度写的。
很想和你探讨一下这篇的思路，我有些模糊了。

honeyviolaUID: 2199703

倒数第二段和正数第三段感觉上都是在说melatonin和shyness 的关系，尽管是从孩子成长角度写的。
很想和你探讨一下这篇的思路，我有些模糊了。

xmbjowlUID: 2182375

Conclusion: increased levels of melatonin before birth cause shyness during infancy and this shyness continues into later life.
Refute: 1、the arguer fails to consider that the 25 infants who showed signs of mild distress may be caused by physical discomfort rather than shyness.
And no evidence regarding their environment where they grown up is provided.
They can equally be affected by the environment.
2、perhaps in some areas the daylight do not decrease in early autumn.
妈妈会否分泌，因为任何地方的秋天都是decreased daylight;即使妈妈分泌的，会否影响孩子；即使影响孩子， 会否影响shyness;
Even assuming that, the function of melatonin is open to doubt.
Whether it will influence the shyness of kids, or it just affect the brains of mothers.
3、no causal relationship between melatonin and the shyness of infants.
As infants grow up, other factors would work: environment, parents, friends and other relatives.
这是偶的想法，呵呵！你怎么没写这篇啊:p

[ 本帖最后由 xmbjowl 于 2006-7-14 11:13 编辑 ]