- 04/02/2013
- Posted by: essay
- Category: Free essays
Very Small and Far Away: Measuring and Observing Extremes
The absence of students is explained by their illness. In such a situation, the definition of the cause of the illness of students can reveal the essence of the illness and factors that provoked illness. In this respect, it is important to lay emphasis on the fact that basically it is possible to develop two hypotheses. First, students were truly ill and had health problems caused by some virus or other factor. On the other hand, it is possible to presuppose that students had their own reasons to miss classes and they pretended to be ill. In fact, these are two strategic hypotheses which can lead an investigator to totally different ends. At the same time, taking into consideration that the illness of students were proved in interviews with parents, it is possible to presuppose that students were truly ill and, therefore, it is still important to find out causes of illness to prevent other students from falling ill.
First of all, it should be said that the hypothesis that students pretended to be ill that means that they were not ill as the matter of fact emerges on the ground of the analysis of the time when students were ill and when band practice took place. In fact, it is possible to presuppose that students preferred to spend their time on band practice instead of attending classes. Therefore, they pretended to be ill to have more time for band practice. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that all students have the same symptoms but the student with a broken leg. In addition, the interviews show that the number of parents who do prove that students were absent is consistently lower compared to the number of students who were absent because of their illness. In fact, there were a few parents, who proved that their children were ill, whereas the majority of parents did not prove that their students were ill when they missed the classes.
On the other hand, the hypothesis that students were truly ill is still quite probable, taking into consideration symptoms of their illness. In fact, practically all students suffered from stomach ache, diarrhea, vomiting or fever. On analyzing the symptoms of the illness, it is possible to presuppose that students suffered from indigestion or, what is even more serious, a sort of intoxication or poisoning. In this respect, it should be said that the stomach ache is a natural symptoms for such health problems as indigestion, intoxication or poisoning. At the same time, the intoxication or poisoning could have occurred during the lunch or dinner or any other meal which students had together.
Students often have meals together. Therefore, if students had meals together it would be logical that all of them suffered from intoxication or poisoning or indigestion caused by spoiled food. However, to find out whether it was an intoxication or poisoning or any other health problem it is necessary to pose some more questions to students. First, they should answer whether they had a meal together before or during the day they got health problems. Second, when did they have a meal together? Third, what did they eat? Fourth, was the meal fresh and good-looking? Fifth, when did they feel the first symptoms or signs of their health problems? Sixth, how long did they suffer from their illness? Basically, these six question can help to define clearly whether it was intoxication/poisoning or not and circumstances in which it occurred.
To put it more precisely, if students had a meal together it is important to find out when they had the meal to define the time of the intoxication or poisoning. Furthermore, it is necessary to identify the place to check whether other clients of a diner or restaurant students attended had any health problems and whether the place has a good reputation. Furthermore, it is necessary to define the time that passed from the meal to the manifestation of illness and to the treatment and recovery of students. If all these facts will be identical or very similar, it would be possible to estimate that students did have intoxication or poisoning and their absence was reasonable, whereas places where students have their meals should be checked and controlled thoroughly.
In such a context, the hypothesis that “These students were absent because there is bad stuff in the stars happening with Mars in Aquarius.” is absolutely irrelevant because there is no cause – effect relationships. In other words, the “stuff in the stars” cannot be a reason for health problems in students on the Earth. Hence, the hypothesis is poor from a scientific point of view.
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