The following appeared in a health magazine published in Corpora."Medical experts say that only one-quarter of Corpora's citizens meet the current standards for adequate physical fitness, even though twenty years ago, one-half of all of Corpora's citizens

The author of the above passage claims that excess usage of computers is not responsible for the decline in physical fitness of the citizens of Corpora, and that the recent decline in the economy is most likely the cause. Stated in this way the argument fails to mention several key assumptions based on which it draws the above conclusion and incorporates several instances of poor reasoning. To justify the conclusion drawn in the above argument, the author assumes that levels of computer ownership can be correlated with the fitness levels of the citizens of Corpora. However careful examination reveals that such assumption is fallacious and provides little credible support to the overall conclusion. Therefore it may be inferred that the above argument is unsubstantiated.

First of all, the author makes a statement that the fitness levels of the citizens of Corpora has declined, citing a comparison between the current percentages of citizens who meet the defined physical standards and that, measured twenty years ago. However the author does not comment on the co-relationship that exists between the current standard and that, defined twenty years ago. Since data calculated based on two different standards can never be properly evaluated against one another, such a comparison may be considered unfounded. The correct method would have been to determine the percentages based on a specific standard, and then compare them. Only then one can truly equate the current state of physical fitness to that, two decades earlier.

Secondly, the author claims that since the overall fitness levels of citizens are highest in the regions where computers are abound, hence computers are not responsible for the decline in fitness levels. The claim is rather unconvincing; especially when the author himself states in the previous line that experts have suggested that decline in overall fitness levels is caused by spending “too much time” using computers. Thus one can infer that merely the presence of a computer, as can be determined from the level of computer ownership, does not conclude that fitness levels will decrease. Consider for example, a locality of Corpora where levels of computer ownership are relatively lower. However the residents of that locality may choose to spend a lot of time using computers which may decrease the overall fitness index of that locality. The relationship could be clearly evaluated if a study was performed, correlating the fitness levels of different regions of Corpora to the actual amount of time for which the residents were logged onto their computers.

Furthermore, the author states that the recent decline in economy is responsible for the decrements in fitness. However this statement is based on the assumption that unusually low expenditure on fitness related products implies a decline in economy of Corpora. However it may so happen that the fitness clubs and gyms were offering a discount on fitness products and services owing to some reason or that people were simply performing exercises by themselves thus leading to a decrease in fitness expenditure, without suggesting any derogatory effects on economy. The author further assumes that fitness levels will increase with increase with accretion of economy. However people may simply choose to spend money on other avenues and ventures, and thus the correlation between economic growth and fitness becomes rather unconvincing.

Thus one can conclude that the author’s argument is unpersuasive, at best. The author must substantiate his claim regarding the interrelationship between economy and fitness levels of the citizens of Corpora by incorporating some of the studies suggested above and thus provide necessary proof to back his assumptions, in order to make his argument, a compelling one.