【Big Fish】03月12日Argument158--By Bruce

cloudwind-greUID: 2462220

158.The Trash-Site Safety Council has recently conducted a statewide study of possible harmful effects of garbage sites on the health of people living near the sites. A total of five sites and 300 people were examined. The study revealed, on average, only a small statistical correlation between the proximity of homes to garbage sites and the incidence of unexplained rashes among people living in these homes. Furthermore, although it is true that people living near the largest trash sites had a slightly higher incidence of the rashes, there was otherwise no correlation between the size of the garbage sites and people's health. Therefore, the council is pleased to announce that the current system of garbage sites does not pose a significant health hazard. We see no need to restrict the size of such sites in our state or to place any restrictions on the number of homes built near the sites.



In the argument, by citing some statistics, the author concludes that there was no correlation between the size of the garbage sites and people's health, and suggests that the current system of garbage sites does not pose a apparent health hazard to the citizens. Though it seems persuasive at the first glance, It is still doubtful after careful consideration.

First, the number of people and sites the study include are not large enough to indicate the overall situation. First, the author's conclusion can be undermined by realizing that the people included maybe too sturdy to sustain the danger of rashes, or the dwellers in the study have got used to this kind of rashes. However, if the size of sites and place of the sites are not restricted, many other people, who are not as strong as the inhabitants in this research or are not quite immune to the rashes, might face jeopardy.

Second, the locations of those sites in the study are always necessary to explain. It is necessary for us to consider whether the people use the water flowing through the sites, and whether the wind blow from the sites or not. If the habitants in the study are not quite influenced by the sites, the auther's conclusion are unsound because the situation in other place maybe different.

Third, Even the study is statistically correct, the author still cannot research his conclusion. As we all know, some diseases are latent and their symptom won appear immediately. So the citizens living near the sites might suffer horrible illness in the future. Therefore, further information about whether potential perils exist or not are necessary for the study.

In sum, the author's conclusion is unconvincing if he does not provide further details in the study about the people included, location of the garbage sites, and whether there is potential hazard.