Issue 31 Argument 218

TOPIC: ISSUE31 - "Money spent on research is almost always a good investment, even when the results of that research are controversial."

WORDS: 531 TIME: 00:45:00 DATE: 2008-4-5 21:07:51

The speaker asserts that it is almost always wise to spend money on research, whether the results of that research are positive or negative to us. However, in my view the arguer unfairly generalizes. In some cases, money or other kind of resource should be attributed to study in these cases, while in some other cases it is not.

To begin with, in certain areas it is ridiculous to invest in researching, because no consequence would be attained. This is especially true in natural sciences. Perhaps the paradigmatic archetype is the perpetual motion machine, which any sort of research on this subject is of little value to society or physics, in the present and the past. The reason for this is simple: the ideal of manufacturing a perpetual motion machine violates the basic physic law which is already demonstrated by theoretical physicists; therefore it is impossible at all to devise such a machine. Another example involves one famous people in history--Robert Owen who described a ideal society: Utopia, in which everyone was born equally, no war, no starvation, and no information was necessary to be hidden. In effect the Utopia defied the natural law of developments of human beings, and was proved to be a paradoxical idea eventually. In short, research that has been shown to be false should not be concerned.

Aside from the cases aforementioned, I strongly agree that we ought to spend money, time, raw materials, and any other necessary investment on a research conducted by prominent scientists. For instance, in the time of Bruno, the study of astronomy was considered as barbaric by esteemed political leaders. However, by utilizing the theory that Earth and other planets revolve around the sun, advanced by Copernicus, Bruno ultimately achieved his most distinguished theory: the cosmic theory of an infinite universe which profoundly influenced the developments of astronomy and physics. Therefore, Bruno's study in astronomy should be encouraged instead of being restricted. Consider Freud, for instance, whose psychoanalytic theories, which initially met with hostility, greatly affected 20th-century thought. Consequently, people should try their best to support these categories of research.

In the realm of business, larger investment on research tends to guarantee bigger economic success. For example, IBM was once argued that it should not be devoted to the basic research of mathematic. However, various outcomes held of the study of mathematic contribute considerably to IBM's economic achievement today. When it comes to history, this is particularly true. Consider the pyramid in Egypt. Albeit many historians once opposed that pyramids should be left untouched and thus would help protecting that marvelous architectures. Yet, the government still invests on researching pyramid and eventually found out many precious cultural relics from several pyramids. Thus, it is wise to encourage people to go on in their researches.

In summary, with few exceptions in which research would not bring out any constructive result, to spend money on all fields of study is almost invariably a inerrant decision. Therefore, the next key determinant is that experts in these fields should try their best effort to guarantee that outside resources must be correctly utilized in appropriate subjects rather than such ones as perpetual motion machine and Utopia.

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TOPIC: ARGUMENT218 - The following appeared in a memorandum from the president of Hyper-Go Toy Company.
"Last year, sales of our Fierce Fighter toy airplane declined sharply, even though the toy had been a top seller for three years. Our customer surveys show that parents are now more worried about youthful violence and are concerned about better education for their children. Therefore, to maintain profits we should discontinue all our action toys and focus exclusively on a new line of educational toys. Several other toy companies have already begun marketing educational toys and report sales increases last year of 200 percent. And since the average family income is growing, sales of new Hyper-Go toys should also increase."

WORDS: 444 TIME: 00:30:00 DATE: 2008-4-5 21:07:51

In this argument, the speaker concludes that profits of Hyper-Go Toy Company will no doubt increase after the company discontinues all action toys and focus on educational toys. To substantiate the verdict, the arguer cites the results of their customer surveys, in which parents are shown to be more concerned with youthful violence and to be more worried about education for their children. Besides, the fact that family income is growing and profits of other companies that have already begun to sell educational toys are increasing is also reckoned as powerful reason by the speaker. However, close scrutiny of evidence unveils that this argument actually suffers from several blemishes as discussed below.

To begin with, the decline of sales of Fierce Fighter toy airplane is not necessarily the result of the change of the respect that children’s parents are chiefly concerned. This fact may have other alternative explanations. For example, the quality of toy airplane had fallen sharply and thus children did not like any more. Or, the phenomenon that toy airplane had been a best seller for three years implies that almost every family owns a toy airplane and now they do not need such a toy any longer. Moreover, the credibility of surveys is quite questionable, since no statistics are given in this statement. Perhaps parents responded the studies were a small proportion and therefore did not represent the majority of parents.

Secondly, whether educational toys indeed attribute to the increased profits of other toy companies needs more detailed information to be best evaluated. It is highly possible that other kinds of toys, such as toy tank, that cause great interest of children and are bought by consumers. Another explanation of this fact is that the price of the toys made by other companies is much less than Hyper-Go Toy Company. It is equally probable that other toy corporations have sharply decreased the cost of producing toys and ameliorate the efficiency of their managers.

Thirdly, even though average family income is keeping growing, no information guarantees that people will spend more money on toys. The speaker is too cursory to assume this without taking more potential factors into account. People may nevertheless buy automobiles, renovate private residences, or go on a trip, which may lend support to the speaker's culmination.

In summary, the statement indeed suffers from a few vital fallacies as discussed above. To solidify the conclusion, the speaker would have to demonstrate that parents are an important element in the decline sales of toy airplane, and prove that other toy companies benefit mostly from their educational toys, and further provide more statistics about what purchases people are most concerned with.