ARGUMENT38 =August Rush=小组第3次作业 by KevinSpacey

KevinSpaceyUID: 2645771

38.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."

KevinSpaceyUID: 2645771

This argument is well-presented but not well-reasoned. Author argues that daily use of Ichthaid is a good way to prevent colds and lower absenteeism. The reasons provided by author are doubtful.

Firstly, author draw a conclusion that eating a substantial amount of fish can prevent colds from a study report that in East Meria, people visit doctor seldom for the treatment of colds and the fish consumption there is very high. Apparently, author fails to provide us evidence to prove there is a relationship between eating fish and catching cold. Maybe the reason why people of East Meria visit the doctor only once or twice per year is because they know much about ill treatment so they can treat themselves well when they catch colds. That is to say, the fact that people don’t visit hospital doesn’t mean they don’t catch colds. Even if people of East Meria indeed catch colds rarely, we cannot say that it is because they eat a substantial amount of fish. It is entirely possible that the climate of East Meria is favorable for people’s health. Thus, the conclusion that eating fish can prevent colds is not convincing.

Secondly, author asserts that the daily use of Ichthaid would be a good way to prevent colds. Author provides us two reasons. One is eating a substantial amount of fish can prevent colds which has been proved not well-convincing and the other is the Ichthaid is a nutritional supplement derived from fish oil. Even if we assume the first reason can be attested, the assert that Ichthaid can prevent colds is still skeptical because Ichthaid is derived from fish oil which is only one part of fish. Maybe the element that can prevent cold is only in the brain of fish and the fish oil has none of this kind of element. So the assert that daily use of Ichhaid would prevent colds is also not convincing.

Last but not least, even if Ichthaid can prevent colds and colds are the reason most frequently given for absenteeism, author cannot prove that the daily use of Ichthaid will be a good way to lower absenteeism. Author fails to consider other facts that may cause absenteeism. There is possibility that the use of Ichthaid can cause allergy on a group of people. If this happened, people need to go to hospital which increases the number of absences from school and work. In other words, lower colds cannot guarantee lower absenteeism.

In sum, to make this argument more convincing, author need to provide us more evidence to prove that eating fish can prevent colds and fish oil has the same effect, and consider other facets that relate to absenteeism.

crepuscularlywUID: 2645654

我就直接添加附件啦~