8/23/2020 OneNote PHI-210 - Page 3.6 - Practice: Induction Sunday, August 23, 2020 3:14 AM Practice: Induction The Copper Solution Copper has a long history of being used for medical purposes, from the ancient Egyptians, who used copper to sterilize chest wounds, to the Aztecs, who prescribed gargling with a copper mixture to cure sore throats.12 One folk remedy that is still popular today is the practice of wearing a copper bracelet to reduce pain and swelling from rheumatoid arthritis. If this claim that copper bracelets can reduce arthritis pain is true, there are many reasons why copper bracelets would be a great tool for pain management. Bracelets are easy to use, non-invasive, and impossible to overdose with. Copper bracelets have no known side effects other than slight skin discoloration, and, unlike pills, a bracelet is a once-and-done purchase. On the other hand, if this claim isn’t true, individuals suffering from arthritis pain could end up wasting significant amounts of money on a device that does nothing for them. (According to one estimate, people spend over $1 billion worldwide on copper bracelets and related devices like magnetic bracelets.13) Additionally, some people might avoid more effective treatments for arthritis pain if they only invest in copper bracelets, which could potentially lead to long-term joint damage resulting from uncontrolled inflammation. In this section, you will evaluate the strength and persuasiveness of two inductive arguments that support or refute the claim that wearing copper bracelets can provide relief from arthritis pain. Use the two articles in the links below to answer the related questions. Copper for Pain: The Theory of Trapped Electricity Intractable Pain Journal, Heather Grace (April 23, 2011) Multiple-Choice Question Which of the following claims does the author make? • Copper bracelets can be an effective means of reducing pain. • The alleged benefit of copper bracelets is nothing more than superstition. • Copper bracelets are unlikely to provide any benefit for reducing pain beyond the placebo effect. • Copper bracelets are guaranteed to cure intractable pain. Correct. Grace argues that copper, often found in the form of a bracelet, can be an effective means of reducing pain. Last saved 6 days ago. Multiple-Choice Question What evidence does the author offer to support her claim? • a peer-reviewed study demonstrating the effectiveness of copper bracelets • testimony from several medical doctors who regularly treat arthritis pain • her own personal experience describing how a copper treatment gave her instant pain relief • medical records from Egyptians, Native Americans, and Mexicans describing medical successes in antiquity https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=701BFFAF5499D529%21254&page=Edit&wd=target%28Quick Notes.one%7C9e6a6e37-0b1e-47e3-8939-24e50… 1/4 8/23/2020 OneNote Correct. Grace explains how she arrived at her physician’s clinic feeling skeptical about the benefits of copper treatment, and she was amazed at how powerfully the copper affected her and how quickly it reduced her pain level. Last saved 6 days ago. Do Copper Bracelets Help with Arthritis? (PDF) Medical News Today, Markus MacGill Multiple-Choice Question Which of the following claims does the author make? • Wearing a copper bracelet can help ease the aches and pains of stiff and sore joints. • There is no good evidence that copper bracelets do anything to reduce pain or inflammation. • Scientists have not been able to determine whether or not copper bracelets have any effect on pain or inflammation. • Copper bracelets are recommended regardless of efficacy because they are simple and safe to use. Incorrect. MacGill argues that wearing a copper bracelet does not help ease the aches and pains of stiff and sore joints. Last saved 6 days ago. Multiple-Choice Question What evidence does the author use to support his claim? • impressive and accurate information about copper from reputable sellers • vague references to what “many people say” the benefits of copper for pain relief are • a 2013 PLOS ONE scientific study comparing different copper and magnetic bracelets • marketing pitches from online shops and forums Correct. MacGill uses a study that failed to find any indication that copper reduces pain to support his claim that there is fairly good evidence that copper bracelets do not have any clinical effect. Last saved 6 days ago. Multiple-Choice Question Consider the following arguments: Premise: If copper helps reduce pain, people who make copper a part of their pain control regimen should experience decreased pain. Premise: The author tried a copper treatment at her physician’s clinic and experienced immediate and dramatic pain reduction. Conclusion: Copper, often found in the form of a bracelet, can be an effective means of reducing pain. Premise: If copper bracelets helped ease arthritis pain, people who wore them would experience alleviated symptoms. Premise: In a study involving 70 people with rheumatoid arthritis, those that wore copper bracelets experienced no difference in symptoms. Conclusion: Copper bracelets do not help ease arthritis pain. What quality about these arguments makes them inductive arguments? • They both point to specific examples to support a probable but not guaranteed conclusion. • They are both arguments about science. https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=701BFFAF5499D529%21254&page=Edit&wd=target%28Quick Notes.one%7C9e6a6e37-0b1e-47e3-8939-24e50… 2/4 8/23/2020 OneNote • They are both structured in such a way that if the premises are true, the conclusion absolutely has to be true. • They both contain two premises and a conclusion. Correct. These arguments can be considered inductive arguments because both point to specific examples to support a probable but not guaranteed conclusion. The first argument uses the author’s experience with copper to support the conclusion that copper can be an effective means of reducing pain. The second argument uses a scientific study involving 70 people to support the conclusion that copper is not an effective means of reducing pain. Last saved 6 days ago. Multiple-Choice Question Which of the two inductive arguments should be regarded as stronger? • The argument in “Copper Bracelets” can be considered stronger, because the layout of the article is better organized than the layout of “Copper for Pain.” • The argument in “Copper for Pain” can be considered stronger, because the author asserts that she is not the type to over-exaggerate for emphasis, whereas the author of “Copper Bracelets” makes no such claim. • The argument in “Copper Bracelets” can be considered stronger, because the conclusion is supported by a peer-reviewed scientific study that involved 70 people, whereas the conclusion in “Copper for Pain” is supported by one anecdotal example. • The argument in “Copper for Pain” can be considered stronger, because the author refers to the “Theory of Trapped Electricity” to support her claim, whereas the author of “Copper Bracelets” does not cite any theories. Correct. A key component of strong inductive arguments is a large, diverse, and bias-free sample size of examples leading to the conclusion. The sample size of the evidence provided in “Copper Bracelets” is larger and more diverse than the single testimony provided in “Copper for Pain.” The format of the scientific study referenced in “Copper Bracelets” (a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial) also helps guard against bias more thoroughly than the anecdote used in “Copper for Pain,” which doesn’t provide any information to rule out the possible influence of the placebo effect or confirmation bias. Last saved 6 days ago. • Response Board If you had a loved one suffering from arthritis pain, would you recommend copper bracelets? Explain your answer. Yes I would recommend copper bracelets because there is strong medical premise to support that wear of them did alleviate pain. — Krystal – August 16, 2020, at 11:37 p.m. EDT Posted 6 days ago. Last change saved 6 days ago. No response saved yet. • Yes I would recommend copper bracelets because there is strong medical premise to support that wear of them did alleviate pain. — Krystal – August 16, 2020, at 11:37 p.m. EDT • I wouldn't recommend it because the science evidence through study that involve 70people with arthritis doesn't feel any difference using the bracelets. — Dayana – August 15, 2020, at 11:12 p.m. EDT • I would recommend copper bracelets because although it is not a guaranteed answer it is one that will not hurt to try and is cost effective. https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=701BFFAF5499D529%21254&page=Edit&wd=target%28Quick Notes.one%7C9e6a6e37-0b1e-47e3-8939-24e50… 3/4 8/23/2020 OneNote — Iyunaa – August 09, 2020, at 2:22 p.m. EDT • Yes i would recommend cooper bracelets because I know several people who have used them and they have worked. — Tara – August 06, 2020, at 8:12 p.m. EDT • Yes. I would try to help relive pain anyway possible. — NaTasha – August 06, 2020, at 3:53 p.m. EDT Hide responses 12 “Medical Uses of Copper in Antiquity,” Copper Development Asscociation Inc., June, 2000. 13 University of York, “Copper bracelets and magnetic wrist straps show no real effect on pain, swelling, or disease progression in rheumatoid arthritis, study finds,” Medical News Today, September 19, 2013. https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=701BFFAF5499D529%21254&page=Edit&wd=target%28Quick Notes.one%7C9e6a6e37-0b1e-47e3-8939-24e50… 4/4
