Argument33【0906G 文以载道三月四月小组】第一周第一次作业 by daishuchen

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Argument33【0906G 文以载道三月四月小组】第一周第一次作业 by daishuchen
Argument 33
The following report appeared in an archaeology journal.
“The discovery of distinctively shaped ceramic pots at various prehistoric sites scattered over a wide area has led archaeologists to ask how the pots were spread. Some believe the pot makers migrated to the various sites and carried the pots along with them; others believe the pots were spread by trade and their makers remained in one place. Now, analysis of bones of prehistoric human skeletons can settle the debate: high levels of a certain metallic element contained in various foods are strongly associated with people who migrated to a new place after childhood. Many of the bones found near the pots at a few sites showed high levels of the metallic element. Therefore, it must be that the pots were spread by migration, not trade.
在广泛区域分散分布的很多史前遗迹发现的形状独特的陶壶导致考古学家提出疑问：这些壶是如何流传的？有些人相信壶的制造者迁移到别的地区并把壶随之带来；另一些人相信壶是通过贸易流传的，而他们的制造者仍然留在一个地方。现在，对于史前人类骨骼的分析可以解决这个争论：在多种食物中都含有的某种金属元素的高含量与那些成年后移居到新地方的人有很高的关联性。在一些遗迹的壶附近发现的很多骨头都显示出这种金属元素的高含量。因此，这些壶肯定是通过迁移而不是贸易来流传的。

1.        在多种食物中都含有的某种金属元素的高含量与那些成年后移居到新地方的人有很高的关联性,这种关联性不一定是因果关系。
2.        即使是因果关系，骨头中含有这种元素不代表是因为食用富含这种金属元素的食物而造成的。
3.        即使骨头中这种金属元素高含量是食用了富含这种金属元素的食物而导致，但也不能完全说明壶是通过迁徙过来的，也有可能此地贸易繁荣，由贸易带来的。
4.        只是证明一些遗迹的壶附近发现很多骨头显示出这种金属元素高含量，可能其它遗迹的壶却没有。

This report recommends that the pots at a few sites were spread by migration, not trade because many of the bones near the pots showed high levels of the metallic element. To support this conclusion the article’ author notes that high levels of a certain metallic element contains in various foods are strongly associated with people who migrated to a new place after childhood. Through careful examination, I find this argument is logically flawed in several critical aspects, which renders it unconvincing.

A threshold problem with the argument involves that high levels of a certain metallic element contained in various foods are strongly associated with people who migrated to a new place after childhood, but we are not informed that the two is cause-and-effect relation. Perhaps the high levels of a certain metallic element contained in various foods cause the low migration of people.

Secondly, Even if the former has lead to the latter, that many of the bones showed high levels of the metallic element cannot illustrate that the element is absorbed from the food rich in it .It is entirely possible that on account of the environment deterioration . For instance in a period the air and water pollution make people inhale a great deal of a certain element and result in the high level of the metallic element.

Thirdly, even assuming the high level of element is from the food and the consequence is that many migrates come here ,but we cannot fully accept the point that the pots were spread by migration, not trade. Perhaps this area is flourish in trade. Many merchants bring them from other places here .Without more information about the pots and bones besides them ,it is difficult to ascertain that the pots were spread by migration.

Finally, the author tells us that many of the bones found near the pots are just at a few sites. But how about other sites? Maybe there are no bones rich in the metallic element near the pots in other sites. So the pots is irrelative with the migrants.

In sum, the author’s argument is unpersuasive in several aspects. To strengthen it the author must provide better evidence that the high levels of a certain metallic element contained in various foods causes people who migrated to a new place after childhood. And the rich element in the bones is from the food. To better access the argument we I need to know whether the pots of other sites near which the bones is rich in this elements .

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改完了，有时间也帮我改下吧，我也交晚了~谢谢~
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