Ferdie Is Spending Too Much Time Playing Softball and Not

question 104

Essay

Ferdie is spending too much time playing softball and not enough time studying, so he signs up for "sportaholic therapy" (ST). The therapist tells him the cure for his "addiction" is to quit softball cold turkey and tap his temples three times whenever he feels the urge to play. After a few months, Ferdie announces that ST isn't helping and he's going to stop coming. The therapist gives him testimonials of other clients who swear by ST, explaining that Ferdie's doubts are actually a sign that the therapy is working. What is the scientific flaw in this argument? (Bonus: What kind of therapy might help Ferdie manage his time better?)

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Definitions:

Adolf Hitler

Leader of the Nazi Party, who rose to power as the chancellor and later Führer of Germany from 1933 to 1945, initiating World War II and enacting policies leading to the Holocaust.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev

A Kyrgyzstani-American who was convicted for his involvement in the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.

Heredity

The transmission of physical or mental traits from one generation to the next through genetics.

Environmental Influences

External factors such as culture, education, social relationships, and physical surroundings that affect individual behavior and development.