The following appeared as a letter to the editor from a Central Plaza store owner."Over the past two years, the number of shoppers in Central Plaza has been steadily decreasing while the popularity of skateboarding has increased dramatically. Many Central

The argument given brings out the fact that the business in Central Plaza are decreasing due to increasing of skateboarding in the Plaza. While this argument seems convincing on first glance, there are significant underlying flaws that raise doubt about the author’s conclusion.

The author’s first mistake is to assume that the skateboarding is the outcome of the decrease of the business. There may be many other facts which contribute to decreasing of the business. Other stores may have been arising during the years near the Plaza. The prices of the goods in other stores may be lower than in Central Plaza. People are moving out of the place.

The author claims about litter and vandalism. Litter throughout the plaza has several meanings. If it is in front of the stores, it is reasonable to believe that it is a reason. However, there may be specific places where it is supposed to deposit litters. The same is valid for vandalism. If some people are spoiling the plaza, they are destroying the buildings, so it is right to believe the claim. However, it is not specified vandalism at all.

Another mistake is to make a prediction that prohibiting skateboarding will bring the high level of the business. It was not mentioned that the business were in high levels to make the prediction. Even if they were. It would be necessary data as prove of evidence.

For all of the above reasons, the writer of the letter about the store owner in Central Plaza has drawn a dubious conclusion. It may be likely that the prohibition of skateboarding in Central Plaza will return the high level of the business in Central Plaza, but to say it “cannot help but do so” is certainly fallacious, unless all of the questions raised above are untrue. Therefore, if the writer were to provide greater evidences, his argument would be more convincing.