Argument37 2月26日[Big Fish]-By Edwardlzk

edwardlzkUID: 2676637

TOPIC: ARGUMENT37 - Woven baskets characterized by a particular distinctive pattern have previously been found only in the immediate vicinity of the prehistoric village of Palea and therefore were believed to have been unique to the Palean people. Recently, however, archaeologists discovered such a "Palean" basket in Lithos, an ancient village across the Brim River from Palea. The Brim River is very deep and broad, and so the ancient Paleans could only have crossed it by boat, but there is no evidence that the Paleans had boats. And boats capable of carrying groups of people and cargo were not developed until thousands of years after the Palean people disappeared. Moreover, Paleans would have had no need to cross the river-the woods around Palea are full of nuts, berries, and small game. It follows that the so-called Palean baskets were not unique to Palea.
WORDS: 504
TIME: 00:45:00
DATE: 2010-2-26 16:54:46

In this argument , the speaker aims to convinces us the notion that the woven basket with certain unique pattern belongs only to prehistoric Palean people is problematic. To support his/her assertion, the speaker cited a recent discover that such seemingly unique basket appears in Lithos, a village across the Brim River from Palea. The author predicts that the Palean people were not able to cross the river, and meanwhile did not have the need. The assertion raised by the author seems advisable, however, several critical flaws undermine the line of reasoning when the author tries to prove his assumption.

To begin with, the author cites several facts to support his assumption that the prehistoric Palean people do not have the ability to across the river, however, unfortunately, the facts lend scant support to certifying the prediction. Firstly, the author tends to believe that the condition of Brim River in ancient times was the same or similar to that nowadays, which is a insufficient and vague evidence. The river may be not so deep and broad as it is today so that prehistoric Palean people can easily go across it. Secondly, the author unfairly believes that Palean people can cross the river only on boats. It may be the case that all Palean people that time are good at swimming thus it can probably be a piece of cake for them to swim across the river. Thirdly, the author forgets to consider he rival in winter. Providing Palean is a very cold region, and the river in winter is frozen for sake of the low temperature, the Palean people can walk to the opposite. Unless these possibilities are proved impossible, the author can not conclude that Palean people are not able to cross the Brim River.

Furthermore, the author neglects to consider all the situation that may take place which results in the transportation of the basket. Is it possible that the ancient Lithos people come to the Palean village to take the basket back? The author claims that Palean people are not capable of building boats until thousands year after, however, will it possible that the Lithos people have the technique to build a boat, and bring the Palean basket back there?

Finally, the author's assumption that the Palean people do not have the need to go across the river is untenable. The supporting evidence the author cite is that Palea are full of nuts, berries, and small game. Are these stuff enough for Palean? Probably enough for living, but far from ample for a good quality of life, the Palean may have the need to communicate and doing business. The basket may come to Lethos for these reasons.

In sum, the argument rests on several unreliable assumptions that render it unconvincing as it stands. To strengthen it, the author should provide concrete evidences to demonstrate why Palean could not cross the river, and also why they did not have the need to cross it. Additionally, more evidences about Lathos should be given.