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本帖最后由 kevin0912 于 2009-8-2 23:56 编辑
TOPIC: ARGUMENT51 - The following appeared in a medical newsletter.
"Doctors have long suspected that secondary infections may keep some patients from healing quickly after severe muscle strain. This hypothesis has now been proved by preliminary results of a study of two groups of patients. The first group of patients, all being treated for muscle injuries by Dr. Newland, a doctor who specializes in sports medicine, took antibiotics regularly throughout their treatment. Their recuperation time was, on average, 40 percent quicker than typically expected. Patients in the second group, all being treated by Dr. Alton, a general physician, were given sugar pills, although the patients believed they were taking antibiotics. Their average recuperation time was not significantly reduced. Therefore, all patients who are diagnosed with muscle strain would be well advised to take antibiotics as part of their treatment."
In this argument, the arguer concludes that all patients diagnosed with muscle strain should take antibiotics as part of their treatment. To support the conclusion, the arguer points out that doctor have long suspected that secondary infections may keep some patients of severe muscle strain from healing quickly. In addition, the arguer reasons that the hypothesis has been proved by results of study of two groups of patients. Close analysis of each these facts, however, reveals that none of them provide credible support to the argument.
First, the author assumes that secondary infection would happen after muscle strain. Yet the argument fails to substantiate this assumption. The author overlooks other possibilities that muscle strain would not cause secondary infection in most of time. It is possible that most muscle strain would not cause secondary infection; in this situation, taking any antibiotic pills is not necessary. Without giving evidence that how many percent of muscle strain patients are actually suffered from secondary infection, the author cannot convince me that antibiotics would help patients heal quickly.
Second, the argument provides an incomplete comparison. The incomplete comparison that results of a study of two groups is a misleading assertion that could not be tested. Perhaps Dr. Newland is more professional than Dr. Alan since Dr. Newland specializes in sport medicine but Dr. Alan is just general physician. Maybe Dr. Newland’s treatment of muscle strain is more effective than Dr. Alan’s. Perhaps the seriousness of muscle strain between the two group of patients is huge different. It is possible that muscle strains of the patients in Dr. Newland’s group are less severe than those in Dr. Alan’s group. Therefore, providing merely the incomplete information without an all-around comparison showing that all the conditions are the same except for the pill, the author can not convince me effectively.
Last, the author unfairly assumes the feasibility of the conclusion that all patients diagnosed with muscle strain should take antibiotics. Because antibiotics known as the treatment of infection, would probably cause other problems, like trigger other illnesses or abuse antibiotics. Until the author provides other evidence to exclude all these concerns, it is groundless to advise all patients with muscle strain to take antibiotics.
In conclusion, the arguer fails to establish a causal relationship between antibiotics and muscle strain healing. To strengthen the argument, the arguer would have to provide evidence that how many percent of the muscle strain patients actually have the secondary infections. To evaluate the argument, we would need more information about under the same doctor, the same patients, and the same other conditions, antibiotics would help patients heal quickly. |
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