Support A new treatment for muscle pain that looked very promising was tested in three separate studies. ββββββββ βββ βββββββ ββββ βββββββββ ββ ββββββ βββ ββββ βββ βββββ βββββββ βββ ββββββββ ββββββββββββββ ββββββ ββ βββ βββββββββ ββ ββββββββ βββ ββββββββ ββββββββββ
The argument proceeds by describing problems with some of the evidence that a new treatment for muscle pain is effective. Because it may lack compelling positive evidence, the argument concludes that the new treatment is likely ineffective.
This is a cookie-cutter example of an argument attempting to establish that a claim is false by pointing out a lack of support for that claim. The flaw lies in assuming that a claim is false simply because there isn't compelling support for it. Given that the evidence for the drugβs effectiveness is problematic, the argument should simply conclude that the drugβs effectiveness is uncertain. The drug could still be effective even if the studies supporting that judgment are flawed.
The flawed nature of the ββββββββ βββββ βββ ββββ βββββββββββ ββ ββββββββββββ ββ ββββββ βββββ ββ ββββββββ ββββββββββ ββ βββββ ββββββββ ββββ
since the judges ββ β ββββββ βββββββ βββ βββ ββββ βββββββ ββββββββ βββ βββββββββ β βββββββ βββ ββββ ββββ βββ ββ ββββββββ β βββ βββ
since some people βββ ββββ ββββββ βββββ βββ βββββ ββββ ββββββββ ββββ ββββ ββββββ βββ βββββββ βββββ ββββ ββββββββ ββββ
since some foods ββββ ββββ ββββββ βββββββββββ ββββββ ββββββ βββ βββββββ βββββ βββββ ββ βββββ βββββ βββ ββββββββ ββββββββββββ
since all scarves βββ ββ βββββ ββββββββ βββββββββββ ββ ββ ββββββ ββββ ββββ βββββββ ββββ βββββ ββββββββ ββββ ββββ ββββββ ββββββββββ
since all members ββ βββ ββββ βββββββ ββββ β βββββββββ βββββ ββ βββ ββββββ ββββββββββββ βββ βββββββββββ ββββββββ ββββ ββββ ββ ββββββ ββ ββ βββββββββ ββββββ ββ βββββββββββββ