argumen56【FF小组】 by duyuan3377 第十次模考

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TOPIC: ARGUMENT56 - Collectors prize the ancient life-size clay statues of human figures made on Kali Island but have long wondered how the Kalinese artists were able to depict bodies with such realistic precision. Since archeologists have recently discovered molds of human heads and hands on Kali, we can now conclude that the ancient Kalinese artists used molds of actual bodies, not sculpting tools and techniques, to create these statues. This discovery explains why Kalinese miniature statues were abstract and entirely different in style: molds could only be used for life-size sculptures. It also explains why few ancient Kalinese sculpting tools have been found. In light of this development, collectors should expect the life-size sculptures to decrease in value and the miniatures to increase in value.
WORDS: 433          TIME: 00:30:00          DATE: 2008-12-16 11:03:49

In the argument, the arguer draws a conclusion that collectors should expect the life-size sculptures to decrease in value and the miniatures to increase in value. The argument is mainly based on the dicovery of molds of human heads and hands on Kali. Although the argument sounds quite reasonable at first thought, yet a series of logical flaws might seriously undermine the argument.

First of all, the arguer simply assumes that the molds of human heads and hands discovered in Kali were used to create these life-size statues without sculpting. However, there is no guarantee that this is the case, nor does the arguer provide any evidence to substantiate the assumption. It is entirely possible that the molds discovered in Kali might come from other people which lived thousands of years later after the life-size clay statues produced. Or perhaps these only molds of human heads and hands might be used to do other things, such as worship of deity and religious activities. Furthermore, there are no molds of other parts of body discovered because the Kalinese might sculpt other parts of body by sculpting tools and use molds to produce only head and hand of the sculpture. Without considering and ruling other possibilities, the arguer cannot convince me accept his argument.

In addition, the arguer also groundlessly assumes that Kalinese miniature statues were abstract and entirely different in style because molds could not be used. But "abstract and entirely different style" does not prove that Kalinese did not use molds, and maybe the molds for miniature statues might be also abstract and entirely different style. Also, even if Kalinese really did the miniature without usage of molds, there is no guarantee that this kind of sculpture has much higher value than the mold-method sculpture.

Last but not least, even if the two assumptions above mentioned are reliable, there is no evidence that the life-size sculptures to decrease in value and the miniatures to increase in value. Many other factors determine the value of a sculpture. Whether it is made through molds or not is not the key factor. It is highly possible that collectors are more interesting in the life-size statues regardless of the methods of producing rather than the miniatures. The arguer cannot draw any firm conclusion at all.