Argu38 [shining sep作文组] 8.15

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TOPIC: ARGUMENT38 - The following memo appeared in the newsletter of the West Meria Public Health Council.

"An innovative treatment has come to our attention that promises to significantly reduce absenteeism in our schools and workplaces. A study reports that in nearby East Meria, where fish consumption is very high, people visit the doctor only once or twice per year for the treatment of colds. Clearly, eating a substantial amount of fish can prevent colds. Since colds are the reason most frequently given for absences from school and work, we recommend the daily use of Ichthaid, a nutritional supplement derived from fish oil, as a good way to prevent colds and lower absenteeism."
WORDS: 449          TIME: 0:46:15          DATE: 2006-8-15

The notion that daily use of Ichthaid prevent colds and lower absenteeism seems at first glance to be an obvious conclusion. However, the conclusion that daily using a nutritional supplement, Ichthaid, is a good way to prevent colds and lower absenteeism may mask other potentially more significant causes of colds and absenteeism, and may inspire people to over invest financially and psychologically in Ichthaid.

First of all, as mentioned in the argument, eating a substantial amount of fish can prevent colds, but the conclusion is using Ichthaid can prevent colds. Ichthaid is a kind of nutritional supplement, which is derived from fish oil. Although fish oil is derived from fish, the components of lchthaid do not accord with that of fish which people in nearby East Meria eat. So the effects of using Ichthaid and eating fish are not totally same.

The argument above is weakened by the fact that it does not take into account the inherent differences between people who catch a cold and those who visit the doctor for the treatment of colds. It may be, in fact, just once or twice per year that people who eating fish frequently visit the doctor for the treatment of colds, but this statistics can not indicate they catch cold only once or twice per year. Because people can have a rest or have some medicine themselve to cure colds, they do not need to visit the doctor. Without this real information, it is inappropriate to assert that eating fish can prevent colds.

Moreover, there is absolutely no evidence provided that eating fish can prevent colds and lower absenteeism. The phenomenon that the residents in nearby East Meria hardly catch cold can be attribute to the climate.The temperature of East Meria may be more warmth than other places, or most residents nearby East Meria are youth and adult, so there are less people to catch cold. The arguer neglected other factors of catching colds.

At last, the argument ignore that there is no inherent relation between catching cold and absenteeism. Of course, catching a cold is one reason of absenteeism, but there are many other matters. For example, students maybe stay away school to play. Workers perhaps are absent from work to relax. Therefore, it is unsuitable to claim prevent colds can reduce absenteeism significantly.

In sum, the arguer fails to establish a causal relationship among using Ithchaid ,preventing colds, and reducing absenteeism. To strengthen the argument, the arguer would have to provide the differences that people who using Ithchaid and who do not. To better evaluate the argument, the arguer would need more information about the percentage of people who really catched colds in all absent people.