Argument53[快刀杀鸡]7/22 作业 by 白衣茜茜

白衣茜茜UID: 2628469

ARGUMENT
53
Thirteen years ago, researchers studied a group of 25 infants who showed signs of mild distress when exposed to unfamiliar stimuli such as an unusual odor or a tape recording of an unknown voice. They discovered that these infants were more likely than other infants to have been conceived in early autumn, a time when their mothers' production of melatonin-a hormone known to affect some brain functions-would naturally increase in response to decreased daylight. In a follow-up study conducted earlier this year, more than half of these children-now teenagers-who had shown signs of distress identified themselves as shy. Clearly, increased levels of melatonin before birth cause shyness during infancy and this shyness continues into later life.
作者认为孩子出生前母体内产生的大量褪黑素会使孩子天生害羞而且这种害羞会伴随终生
13年前对25个敏感的婴儿做调查，这些孩子多半在初秋时候被怀上那时母体会有应对日照时间缩短而产生较多的褪黑素，13年后的随访中这些孩子一半以上认为自己害羞
褪黑素对大脑的影响没有做具体说明，也没有说作用于母亲还是胎儿，

敏感的儿童不一定是害羞也许是别的原因，他因法攻击

孩子成长过程中许多其他因素会影响改变其性格，他因法攻击

作者观点太过武断，若要说明需要提供更多的科学证据



In this argument, the arguer concludes that the increased levels of melatonin during the pregnancy will lead to shyness of the child during all his lifetime .To support the conclusion the arguer cites a study conducted 13 years ago, which studied 25 infants who shown sign of distress, most of whom are conceived during a time when there mothers produce higher level of melatonin, and at their 13th more than half of them identified to be shy. Well at the first glance the argument seem convincing but in fact it suffers several logical flaws, which make it unwarranted.

Firdtly, a threshold problem of the argument is that the arguer failed to inform us what melatonin is and how it affects brain function, and whether the higher level of melatonin affect the pregnant mom or the embryo. Without scientific research and explanation there is no adequate proof to support the conclusion.

Secondly, the argument assumes too hastily that the 25 infants shown distress to unfamiliar things because of shyness, which is not necessarily the only fact, perhaps it is the physical dissatisfaction which generated by those unfamiliar things
distress the infant. Even if the infants shown disress because of shyness,there is no more evident to support the shyness is only because of the higher level of melatonin during the pregnant ,the character of parents or some other factors may also lead to child's shyness, without ruling out other possible factors the argument is unwarranted.
Thirdly, the arguer assumes that the children remain shy at their teens is also due to melatonin, and the affluence of with will continue all their lifetime, nevertheless, there is no guarantees that it is necessary the case. Commonsense tells us that a person's character may influenced by the circumstance, the education and something else along his growing up. Failing to ruling out these and other possibilities
the arguer can't bolster his assumption


In conclusion, the arguer's argument mentioned above is unpersuasive for lacking of valid evidence or sound reasoning, both of which is of great value for a conclusive argument.In order to strengthen it the arguer should cite more scientific evident, reason more convincingly, and the most important is to take all posibilities into consideration.