Argument 37----欢迎拍文

neverjustUID: 2848024

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: 361
TIME: 00:40:00

In this argument, the author make a conclusion that Palean (P) basket were not unique to P for the simple reason that archaeologists have found a P basket in Lithos (L) village which is unpersuasive. Let me discuss it below.

To begin with, no evidence was provided to prove there were boats at that time does not mean it is really no boats there at all. Maybe the boats were all destroyed by some people who lived P later. Even if there were actually no boats in P at that time, it is possible that some people who lived at other area, for example L village, have boats and visit P and take baskets away. Though the fact no boats exist at that time is true, maybe the basket was brought by people lived in other era, say the era when P people disappeared and there were some boats which were capable to carry groups of people and cargo. So the baskets could not be moved conclusion is unwarranted.

Granted that boats have had not been produced that time, people could go cross the river by other means. Though the river now is absolutely deep and broad, yet river changes, the river may be just shallow and narrow, even not appear at that time. Then if people would like to go cross the river, they could just swim to the other bank, or go by raft or something like that.

What's more, the fact woods around P are full of nuts, berries and small games could not make sure P people are unnecessary to get cross the river. They may go across to sale or exchange goods, to go hunting, or just have tourism. In addition, at the time P people lived on that area, there may not be enough nuts and berries for protecting people from hungry and cold. So the possibility that the basket was took by P people is totally valid.


To sum up, the conclusion made by the author is unreliable, he should provide more information about the two villages at the actual time the basket appeared and analyze the situation carefully, then make the final summarization