Juan Sebastian Munoz

Argument Essay

The argument concludes that the woven basket design was not unique to the Palean culture

because a similar design has been found in a village of Lithos across the river of Brim. This

conclusion is base on the premises that the river that separates the two village is too deep and

wide to be cross without a boat. The reasoning on this argument is flawed because it relies in

some assumptions that can not be proven true.

First, the argument assumes that the Palean culture was unable to built boats or to

swim across the river, this assumption is based on the fact that evidence of boats has been

found in the Palean village. However ancient culture built things with the materials they have

available, this materials can be very fragile and only last for a short time this may be the reason

why the archeologist have not found any boat . Furthermore we do not know if the Palean

habitants were exceptional swimmers that could swim across the river without the need of

boat. The author also makes not mention of the geography of the region maybe kilometers

down the river it could be smaller gap separating the two bank of the river making it easy for

the Paleans to cross without a boat, we must not forget that in order to the design to be

transmitted from one village to the other only one person needs to gets across the river,

because the knowledge of how to make the basket can be teacher from one person to another.
 Secondly, the argument ignores the possibilities that the two cities develop on their own

a similar design of basket. Many ancient culture draw inspiration from the flora and fauna they

encounter near their village, if the village of Lithos and Palean where located not far from each

other there is the possibility that they could create a similar design of basket inspired in the

same plants or mythologies. We also do not know the age of the basket it could be originated in

the village of Lithos and them taken to Palean

Finally, the author does not take into account the weather of the regions, the flow of all

rivers depend on the amount of rain, and other rivers that flow into them, undoubtedly the

region has a changing weather and there may be times of the year where there was drought or

months where the river froze, making it easier for the people of Palean to cross the rive to

Lithos without the need of a boat.

In conclusion the argument that that woven basket with the distinctive Palean pattern

were crafted by others people than the Paleans, is weakly supported by the evidence tha is

provided. The author could improve the argument by substantiating the claim that the Palean

people were unable to make boats or had other means to cross the river.