Argument187【0806G-Sunbird小组】第1次作业

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第一次写，自己都不忍看。望狂批！
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The following appeared as part of an article in a health magazine.
"A new discovery warrants a drastic change in the diets of people living in the United States. Two scientists have recently suggested that omega -3 fatty acids (found in some fish and fish oils) play a key role in mental health. Our ancestors, who ate less saturated fat and more polyunsaturated fat, including omega -3 fatty acids, were much less likely to suffer from depression than we are today. Moreover, modern societies—such as those in Japan and Taiwan—that consume large quantities of fish report depression rates lower than that in the United States. Given this link between omega -3 fatty acids and depression, it is important for all people in the United States to increase their consumption of fish in order to prevent depression."

Word count: 322

In this argument, the author concludes that assimilating more omega-3 fatty acids which is found in some fish and fish oils may suffer less depression. To support the conclusion, the author points out that our ancestors suffer less depression for absorbing more omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, the author cites that the depression rates of Japan and Taiwan, which have large quantities of fish, are reported lower than that in the U.S. This argument is problematic for three reasons.
The first problem with the argument is that there are many other possible reasons for our ancestors to have lower depression except absorbing more omega-3 fatty acids, such as the environment they live in and the style of society. In the previous society, the competition is much weaker. Now as the technology well developed, the speed of working and life is faster and faster, which inevitably leads to more depression.
Another flaw that weakens this argument is that the evidence less depression of Japan and Taiwan are because of eating more fish is unconvincing. The culture difference between U.S. and other areas causes different attitude of life, which will influence the rate of depression. And different food eaten by American and other areas may also be the reason for different depression.

Last but not least, the author ignores the fact that omega-3 fatty acids are only found in some fish. Whether the fish consumed in Japan and Taiwan contains them is to be testified. And other food which may contain them is not taken into account.
In conclusion, the author ignores other relevant reasons to less depression of ancestors and societies which consume a large amount of fish such as Japan and Taiwan. And the assumption that the fish consumed contains omega-3 fatty acids is short of legitimacy. The author must establish relationship between depression and omega-3 fatty acids directly, with other conditions the same or uninfluential for depression except omega-3 fatty acids.

[ 本帖最后由 lewis0409220 于 2007-11-3 02:12 编辑 ]