The following appeared in the Health section of the Greenhorne Gazette.
“Motilac is a substance that occurs naturally in the human digestive tract. Many consumers of dietary supplements containing motilac report significant easing of digestive discomfort after just a few weeks of use. Among Greenhorne residents, the consumption of motilac supplements has increased 80% over the last seven years. Last year, Greenhorne’s five hospitals reported fewer cases of serious gastrointestinal disorders than any year on record. Meanwhile, sales of motilac supplements are declining in the neighboring town of Etolin. Notably, hospitals in Etolin report a steady increase in the last two years in patients experiencing a wide range of distressing gastrointestinal symptoms. The clear explanation of these trends is that motilac is effective in preventing many serious gastrointestinal disorders.”
Write a response in which you discuss one or more alternative explanations that could rival the proposed explanation and explain how your explanation(s) can plausibly account for the facts presented in the argument.
The writer provides two possible explanations for the decreased instances of gastrointestinal disorders in the Greenhorne area. The first is the consumption of dietary supplements containing motilac. The second is the reduced incidence of these disorders. Considering that Greenhorne, like most towns, must rely on its local hospitals to treat its residents, the author’s second explanation is more likely than the first. While a dietary supplement containing motilac might be effective at relieving gastrointestinal discomfort, that supplement is unlikely to prevent those disorders from occurring in the first place. The gastrointestinal disorders in question often result from unhealthy dietary habits, such as eating the wrong foods or drinking too much alcohol. While dietary supplements containing motilac might ease the discomfort related to these conditions, those supplements are unlikely alone to correct the underlying problems. In fact, research has shown that even dietary supplements containing probiotics, which are believed to help alleviate gastrointestinal disorders, are not effective in reducing the incidence of such disorders. Thus, it is unlikely that the increased consumption of dietary supplements containing motilac has contributed to the reduction in the number of gastrointestinal disorders in Greenhorne.
The author has provided some evidence that supports his suggestion that dietary supplements containing motilac have contributed to the decline in gastrointestinal disorders in Greenhorne. However, he has offered no evidence to refute the explanation offered by the opposing viewpoint. While dietary supplements containing motilac might have some health benefits, they are not likely to contribute to a reduction in the incidence of gastrointestinal disorders. As a result, the most plausible explanation for the decline in those disorders is the decreased incidence of those disorders.