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.
Essay:
The bases to the authors inference that the baskets were not unique to the
Palean are inherently flawed for numerous reasons, especially the assumptions
that the Brim River prehistorically existed at the same location, and that the
Palean had no means of crossing it. Such presumptions cast doubt on the validity
of the authors argument.
To begin with, the author fails to justify their assumption that the Brim River
was in the same location as, or even existed at all, at the time the Paleans lived.
Rivers change depth, width, and direction over time; it may very well be that the
position of the Brim River, separating Palea and Lithos, was not the case
thousands of years ago. Additionally, this also weakens the authors statement of
the requirement of boats to reach Lithosif there was no body of water
separating the villages, there is no need for boats.
Further, the author must inform us of the relative ages of the villages of Palea
and Lithoswhether they were of the same era or notin order to strengthen
the argument. Granting they were, the argument should provide justification that
they were not identical peoples or cultures.
The argument also has many other unwarranted assertions. The fact that no
boats were found around the village of Palea does not mean the Paleans never
had or made boats; it simply suggests that none were found. Nothing has been
mentioned about the credibility of the excavation. Yet, the author maintains that
since no boats were found, none must exist.
Finally, the argument does not clarify whether the people of Lithos had boats.
Even if we suppose the Palean did not have boats, the people of Lithos might
have had them traded with Palea across the Brim River. Nonetheless, the author
seems to assume in their argument that Lithos could not have boats, either.
To sum up, the argument makes far too many unwarranted assumptions to
convince us that the so-called Palean baskets were not uniquely Palean.