#17 - Researcher: Hard water contains more calcium and magnesium

[Capetowner]

Dave: Side note: in your A-B-C scenario, you'd still know that A leads to C

Is this why D is wrong? D shows Magnesium is an indirect cause of these health issues, therefore it's still shown to be a cause; if anything D strengthens

Just to clarify, I understand D ignores the developing aspect of these diseases and is thusly wrong. But let's just say hypothetically that D doesn't ignore them. Would it be an indirect cause of the diseases via inhibiting the medicines used to stave the diseases off? Therefore a strengthener

[Jeff Wren]

Hi Capetowner,

I'm not seeing how Answer D would strengthen the argument.

The conclusion is based on the idea that low levels of magnesium are causing an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and hypertension. If that were true, one would expect that magnesium supplements (by increasing the level of magnesium) would help prevent heart disease, stroke, and hypertension. Knowing that magnesium supplements inhibit the effectiveness of the treatments seems to cut against that idea, if anything. (Of course, as has already been discussed, prevention and treatments are two different things.)

Perhaps the magnesium supplements are providing too much magnesium and this is also harmful, just has not having enough magnesium appears to be harmful? Perhaps it is something specific about the magnesium supplements (besides the amount of magnesium they contain) that inhibits the effectiveness of the treatments? Without more information, we can't really determine what effect, if any, this answer would have on the argument,