This
argument concludes that certain
compounds should be administered to students
with poor memory and
concentration to improve their performance in school.
The argument cites an experiment involving
rats in which the same compounds prevented
the enzyme PEP from breaking down chemicals involved in
learning and
memory.The argument suffers from several flaws, which render it unconvincing.
A threshold problem with the argument is that it assumes that what improves
memory and learning in rats will also improve memory and learning in humans. Although
this is entirely possible, the argument provides no
evidence to support this
assurnption.Without such evidence the argument can be rejected out of hand.
A second problem involves the fact that PEP increasingly breaks down the chemicals
needed for learning and memory as
humans age-as the argument points out.
Yet the argument seems to claim that inhibiting PEP will be effective in improving
learning and memory in young people. (The argument refers to students"''parents,"
implying that proposed human subjects are young people rather than adults.)Thus,
the effectiveness of the compounds is likely to be far less significant than it would
be for older people.
A third problem with the argument is that it assumes that learning and memory
are the only significant factors affecting performance in school. Common sense and
experience tells us this is not the case, and that a variety of other factors, such as
motivation and natural ability, also play major roles.Thus, the compounds might very
well turn out to be largely ineffective.
A final problem with the argument is that it asserts that the compounds will
improve concentration, yet it makes no claim that the same compounds improved
concentration in rats-only that they improved the rats'' learning and memory.Thus,
the argument''s conclusion is indefensible to this extent.
In sum, the argument is weak on several grounds. To strengthen it the
argument''s proponent must provide dear evidence that the same compounds that
improved learning and memory in rats will do so in young humans. Moreover, the
argument''s proponent must show that poor academic performance is due primarily
to learning and memory problems, rather than to poor concentration, motivation,
or other factors.
More abstracts about the Improving learning and memory