The following appeared in an article in a health–and–fitness magazine:
“Laboratory studies show that Saluda Natural Spring Water contains several of the minerals necessary for good health and that it is completely free of bacteria. Residents of Saluda, the small town where the water is bottled, are hospitalized less frequently than the national average. Even though Saluda Natural Spring Water may seem expensive, drinking it instead of tap water is a wise investment in good health.”Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. In your discussion be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counter examples might weaken the conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion.Answer:An article appearing in a health-and-fitness magazine suggests its readers to invest in and consume Saluda Natural Spring Water due to its apparent health benefits. However, the argument is flawed for several reasons.
Firstly, the given snippet blindly assumes that the spring water is the sole reason why the residents of Saluda are hospitalized less frequently that the national average rate. It fails to consider other possible reasons for the phenomenon, such as an overall healthy lifestyle followed by the people of Saluda. They might engage in excercise and a nutritious diet, keeping them healthier than the general public. Hence, more information of their lifestyle might strengthen the argument.
Moreover, the author of the article suggests the reader to prefer Saluda Natural Spring Water over tap water as it keeps the people of Saluda healthy. But, the author fails to consider that if something worked for the people of Saluda, it may not provide the same results for other people living outside the region. The physiology and the biological requirements of people might be different due to regional factors.
Finally, the argument seemingly suggests that investing in the expensive Saluda Natural Spring Water is the only way for the readers to achieve good health. The minerals in the given water might be obtained via several different sources like organic fruits and vegetables. Futhermore, it doesn't take into consideration the affordability factor of the product. If the product isn't affordable by most readers, then it is not a convenient solution for attaining a healthy lifestyle.
Hence, the argument is flawed for several reasons and can be improved by providing more insights regarding the product, the lifestyle of the residents of Saluda, and also the affordable alternatives for the given bottled water.