【Flyer小组习作】argument81-7.13

MaryWongUID: 2619999

TOPIC: ARGUMENT81 - Allergies are an overreaction of the immune system to certain stimuli. One view is that allergies can develop as the result of childhood exposure to certain irritants, such as dust or animal dander, while the immune system is not yet mature. Another view is that exposure to particular bacteria early in childhood actually triggers the proper development of the immune system, and that limiting exposure to these bacteria through excessive hygiene can cause children's immune systems to overreact to certain irritants later on. A new study supports the second view: children who are washed especially frequently and whose parents clean their homes especially frequently are more likely to develop allergies than are other children. So in order to reduce the incidence of allergies in children and adults, parents should not limit children's exposure to irritants or bacteria.

In this article, the author recommends that children should be exposed to irritants or bacteria more often to decrease the incidence of allergies. To bolster the claim the argument relies on a view which is supported by a new study. However, there are several logical flaws in the argument, which render it unconvincing.

To begin with, the author unfairly assumes that the view which holds that the exposure to certain bacteria early in childhood help the development of the immune system is true on the basis that a new study praise this view. However, there is no evidence shows that this study's conclusion is valid. Without any information about the study's background such as the scale, length of year, researchers' ability and experimental condition no one could be convinced that the new study's result is reliable.

Besides, even if the new study is based on strict experimental limitation, this conclusion of the reason of allergies is till too hasty. The author unnecessarily equates the frequent washing and clean home with little bacteria. Nevertheless, this is not the case. In common sense, not all kinds of bacteria can be diminished by bath and room cleaning. Bacteria which is flowing with air and stick on the wall can not be got rid of perhaps. Lacking consideration of these possibilities, the author could not conclude that the reason of high rate of allergies suffering is that these children touch fewer bacteria.

Moreover, the author overlooks a host of other possibilities which will contribute to the children’s suffering of allergies. It is natural that home is not the only place children stayed. It is entirely likely that the playground, desk, textbooks in school are abundant of bacteria. In addition, perhaps children always play with each other without cleaning. These all possibilities could undermine the study’s conclusion since children might still get close to many bacteria even if they take bath very frequently and their home is specifically clean. Maybe just because children expose to too much bacteria as the other view stands they suffer the allergies. But the author denies the other view’s point without providing any persuasive evidence.

In sum, the argument is not indefensible as it stands. To support the argument, the author should provide credible information of the study to show its conclusion is valid. We also need to know that lack of bacteria is the very cause of allergies due to too clean environment around children.