The following memo appeared in the newsletter of the West Meria Public Health Council."An innovative treatment has come to our attention that promises to significantly reduce absenteeism in our schools and workplaces. A study reports that in nearby East M

The argument makes number of unwarranted assumptions regarding the absenteeism in schools and workplaces are due to cold and this can be overcome by a nutritional supplement derived from fish oil. Taken as whole, these unstated assumptions render the argument highly suspect. If these unstated assumptions do not hold true, then the argument totally falls apart.

As the argument states the study reports includes the survey made in nearby East Meria, that means the survey is not even carried out in West Meria and the population that has been surveyed must be very less. Therefore, it would be illogical to make a point based on a study report which might consists of handful of people and that too in some other area. Moreover, people from nearby East Meria must be having a home-made treatments against cold. Also, there must be no doctors nearby them and they had to travel a long distance for the treatment. This could be the reason that they visit doctors rarely and only for serious cases.

Another unstated assumption argument makes is substantial amount of fish can clearly prevent colds. There is no scientific evidence or any study reports which evaluates that nutritional supplement of fish oil helps in fighting against cold. Suppose that there is an unavailability of fish resources, then students will be allowed to take leave officially?

The argument lacks credibility by stating that colds are the reason most frequently given for absences from schools and workplaces. Reasoning of students must be misleading. People at workplaces might be lying in order to get paid on their sick leaves and student’s reasoning must be fallacious.

Unless the argument can show that there is clear reason that absenteeism in schools and workplaces are due to colds and intake to substantial amount of fish can improve the attendance significantly, then the West Meria Public Health Council is making a wrong decision to recommend a daily use of a nutritional supplement derived from fish oil as a good way to prevent colds and lower absenteeism.