argument38"为我所用"第十一次作业

usayaUID: 2374023

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

"An innovative treatment has come toour attention that promises to significantly reduce absenteeism in our schoolsand workplaces. A study reports that in nearby East Meria, where fishconsumption is very high, people visit the doctor only once or twice per yearfor the treatment of colds. Clearly, eating a substantial amount of fish canprevent colds. Since colds are the reason most frequently given for absencesfrom school and work, we recommend the daily use of Ichthaid, a nutritionalsupplement derived from fish oil, as a good way to prevent colds and lowerabsenteeism."
WORDS: 451          TIME: 00:30:00          DATE: 2001-4-7上午 12:46:29

By making a comparison of the region ofWest Meria, where a significant higher absenteeism in schools and workplaces isdue to colds, with the region of East Meria, an area of those who are in favorof fish and thus get less colds, the memo recommends Ichthaid to residents inWest Meria in order to decrease the absenteeism and prevent colds seemslogical.

However, for the recommendation to be morecogent, it must provide which kinds of substance in fish can treat colds. Inthe memo above, it fails to provide such convincing information. Moreover, thememo overlooks some other possible alternatives to the less colds which are gotin East Meria residents. East Meria residentsare stronger and healthier because of frequent and regular practice, or theyrealize the importance of prevention of the disease and look after themselvescarefully, while people in West Meria pay lessattention to both practice and prevention. In addition, that residents in East Meria just take some pills other than seeing doctorsresults from their confidence on pills, which can thoroughly cure colds. Itappears reasonable, therefore, for people in West Meriato focus on these alternatives than to what the memo suggests.

Similar to the problem mentioned above, itis also fails to provide a detail of which kinds of nutritional supplement areuseful to colds. If there is no explanation for consumers that certainnutrition in fish oil can treat and prevent colds, will consumers purchaseIchthaid? Meanwhile, the memo neglects the possibility that some side effectsmay harm to children or the old's health. If either scenario is the case, it isunwise to choose Ichthaid to prevent colds.

Even assuming that Ichthaid truly act goodeffect on prevention of colds, the memo still fails to provide a necessarycorrelation that people catch colds is the only factor leading to theabsenteeism in schools and workplaces. The tension from heavy work and studymakes citizens in West Meria decide to escapetheir work and study. If this is a case, a psychological treatment is neededfor them other than a physical prevention. Again, the headaches, the pain onstomachs and the like, may also influence the attendance of work and study.Lack ruling out so many possible reasons that will lead to the absenteeism, I amafraid that the value of Ichthaid has to be weakened.

Overall, the memo unconvincingly persuades mebecause of some logic flaws. To bolster it, the memo should provide which kindsof substance in the Ichthaid can prevent colds and whether it has someside-effects. To better improve, we also need know that colds is the onlyfactor that cause the absenteeism in West Meria.