The following appeared in an article in the health section of a newspaper.
There is a common misconception that university hospitals are better than community or private hospitals. This notion is unfounded, however: the university hospitals in our region employ 15 percent fewer doctors, have a 20 percent lower success rate in treating patients, make far less overall profit, and pay their medical staff considerably less than do private hospitals. Furthermore, many doctors at university hospitals typically divide their time among teaching, conducting research, and treating patients. From this it seems clear that the quality of care at university hospitals is lower than that at other kinds of hospitals.
Discuss how well reasoned... etc.
In this argument the author concludes that university hospitals provide no better care than private or community hospitals. The author bases this conclusion on the following claims about university hospitals: the ones in this region employ 15 percent fewer doctors; they have a 20 percent lower success rate in treating patients; they pay their staffs less money; they make less profit than community hospitals; and they utilize doctors who divide their time between teaching, research and treating patients. This argument is unconvincing for several reasons.
The most egregious reasoning error in the argument is the authors use of evidence pertaining to university hospitals in this region as the basis for a generalization about all university hospitals. The underlying assumption operative in this inference is that university hospitals in this region are representative of all university hospitals. No evidence is offered to support this gratuitous assumption.
Secondly, the only relevant reason offered in support of the claim that the quality of care is lower in university hospitals than it is at other hospitals is the fact that university hospitals have a lower success rate in treating patients. But this reason is not sufficient to reach the conclusion in question unless it can be shown that the patients treated in both types of hospitals suffered from similar types of maladies. For example, if university hospitals routinely treat patients suffering from rare diseases whereas other hospitals treat only those who suffer from known diseases and illnesses, the difference in success rates would not be indicative of the quality of care received.
Finally, the author assumes that the number of doctors a hospital employs, its success rate in treating patients, the amount it pays its staff, and the profits it earns are all reliable indicators of the quality of care it delivers. No evidence is offered to support this assumption nor is it obvious that any of these factors is linked to the quality of care delivered to patients. Moreover, the fact that doctors in university hospitals divide their time among many tasks fails to demonstrate that they do a poorer job of treating patients than doctors at other kinds of hospitals. In fact, it is highly likely that they do a better job because they are more knowledgeable than other doctors due to their teaching and research.
In conclusion, the authors argument is unconvincing. To strengthen the argument the author would have to demonstrate that university hospitals in this region are representative of all university hospitals, as well as establishing a causal link between the various factors cited and the quality of care delivered to patients.
上帝之国 Kingdom of God
75%的人会揭发上司不法行为(双语)
泰国"人妖空姐"上岗 了解两性服务更好?(双语组图)
盘点2011-《时代》十大消费电子设备
“情人节”礼物——播种爱情
怎样轻松摆脱“节后忧虑症”(双语)
双语:情人节表白秘籍 教你写封甜蜜情书
节日英语:元宵节的各种习俗
盘点2011年国内外焦点事件(下)(中英文)
对话超模 探寻骨瘦如柴的秘密(双语)
吃3个菜要4000元 春节游客三亚被宰
细数接吻的六大功效:今天你亲吻了吗?
三只小猪和大灰狼
盘点2011-年度奇闻异事
爆笑情人节:各年龄段的征婚要求(双语)
意大利:近百岁夫妇因40年前婚外情闹离婚(双语)
嫁妆给多少? 游戏“愤怒的新娘”走红网络
水浒故事:倒拔垂杨柳
蒙牛纯牛奶强致癌物:黄曲霉素病毒(中英文)
盘点2011年国内外焦点事件(上)(中英文)
口渴的乌鸦
最新研究:红衣男人对女人更具吸引力?
Facebook上市:扎克伯格的公开信(双语)
漫画图说:我的新年计划(双语)
为什么我们总记不住别人的名字?(双语)
小人儿的礼物的故事
l played with some kangaroos
瓦尔都窗前的一瞥
研究:发短信时爱撒谎 视频聊天更可信(双语)
节日英语:元宵节的由来
| 不限 |
| 英语教案 |
| 英语课件 |
| 英语试题 |
| 不限 |
| 不限 |
| 上册 |
| 下册 |
| 不限 |