Argument 1. Woven Baskets

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 made only by 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 have crossed it only by boat, and no Palean boats have been found. Thus it follows that the so-called Palean baskets were not uniquely Palean.

Write a response in which you discuss what specific evidence is needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or strengthen the argument.

Response:

The author makes the conclusion that Palean baskets were not unique to Paleans. His or her argument relies on shaky premises. 

The author rashly assumes that when something is not found, it means it did not exist. He says that because "no Palean boats have been found," boats did not exist in Palean culture. This is an ancient culture. Boats may have existed but without any record of them to outlive the times. Evidence that specifically shows that no boat existed in Palean culture could better support his conclusion.

The author also assumes that because the Brim River "is very deep and broad," the Paleans could have crossed it only by boat. He makes an observation of the river now, to make conclusions about how it may have been in the ancient times. In the time since the ancient Paleans, the river could have swelled and widened. It may have been that long ago, the Brimg River was narrow and shallow enough to have forded it on foot. Records of the history of the river being broad and deep from the ancient times may strengthen his argument.

The biggest assumption is that his conclusion relies on a causation assumption in the case of a simple correlation. He assumes that because the baskets were discovered in Lithos (and Paleans could not have crossed over the river to make their baskets in the neighboring village), the Lithos people must have made the same baskets. The discovery of the baskets in Lithos is insufficient to conclude that the Lithos people made the baskets themselves. Even if it is true that the Paleans could not have crossed the river to make their baskets in Lithos, there are many other possibilities that the baskets were made by Paleans and not by others. Perhaps the Lithos people had boats that allowed them to travel to the Palean village. The Paleans could have given the baskets as gifts for the visitors from Lithos. The Lithos visitors would have, then, taken back the Palean baskets back to their village. Another possibility is that the baskets were deserted in the river and by chance drifted away and wound up in the Lithos village. All in all, the author must show evidence that he exhausted all options that it were the Paleans who made the baskets that were found in Lithos.

To sum up, the author relies on unwarranted assumptions to conclude that the Palean-style baskets were not unique to Palean culture. He assumes that something not found means it did not exist. He makes conclusions about the ancient times from the situation today, and assumes the continuity of nature. Lastly, he makes the assumption that when something happens together, one must have caused the other. He must provide evidence to support the flwaws.