argument162

MYcoltingUID: 2563080

TOPIC: ARGUMENT162 - A recent study shows that people living on the continent of North America suffer 9 times more chronic fatigue and 31 times more chronic depression than do people living on the continent of Asia. Interestingly, Asians, on average, eat 20 grams of soy per day, whereas North Americans eat virtually none. It turns out that soy contains phytochemicals called isoflavones, which have been found to possess disease-preventing properties. Thus, North Americans should consider eating soy on a regular basis as a way of preventing fatigue and depression.
WORDS: 418
TIME: 00:30:00
DATE: 2009-3-4 14:13:10

In this argument, the author suggests that North Americans should consider eating soy on a regular basis as a way of preventing fatigue and depression for the reason that the study indicates the rate of chronic fatigue and chronic depression in Asia is lower than the one in North America which are lead by the difference of eating habits that Asians eat twenty grams of soy per day while North Americans eat virtually none. To support his conclusion stronger, the argument point out that it is the phytochemicals called isoflavones reduces the rate of those illnesses. However, though the argument seems logical, in fact it suffers from several fallacies such as vague number, cause-effect fallacy, and so on.

First of all, the conclusion that the difference is caused by eating soy is unwarranted because the arguer simply assumes that those diseases is in fact due to the lack of eating soy. The argument overlooks the possibility that the efforts, virtually, are made by other foods. Perhaps the distinguish may caused by milk, what North Americans drink every day while Asians do not drink it regularly. Or perhaps that those illness are not caused by diet fundamentally, which may be caused by different working pressure or fast pace of lives, according to modern research and our common sense, working pressure and fast pace of lives are most likely to result in chronic fatigue and chronic depression. Either scenario, if true, would serve to undermine the conclusion of author.

In addition, though soy contains phytochemicals called isoflavones, which is proved to possess disease-preventing properties, the author still fails to provide evidence to demonstrate that this chemical has a function of control and cure chronic fatigue and chronic depression. It is possible that isoflavones merely has a function of curing flu or just reinforce your immunity. What is more, due to the difference of environment and other eating habits, it is of possibility that soy will not works in North America for the simple reason that the only time soy has the function as the arguer mentioned is when it is ate with some specific foods which the North Americans do not eat regularly.

To sum up, the argument could be improved by providing evidence that the ratio is higher in North America and there are no other foods or factors which lead to high rate of illness. In addition, the effect of the phytochemicals should be tested. If so, this argument will be more convincing and won’t sway their suggestion.