Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumWeakening Arguments

Archaeologists studying Neolithic settlements in the Scandinavian archipelago recently argued that the introduction of copper tool working around 2500 BCE caused a dramatic surge in localized timber harvesting for smelting fuel. This conclusion rests on sediment cores retrieved from lakes adjacent to early copper smelting hearths, which exhibit a sudden, marked reduction in tree pollen dating to the exact era when copper artifacts first appear in the region. Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the archaeologists' argument?

  1. Analysis of fossilized plant macrofossils from the region indicates that a virulent fungal blight devastated major tree species around 2500 BCE, drastically reducing tree pollen levels independent of human logging.Answer
  2. B
    Experimental reconstructions of Neolithic metallurgical processes indicate that smelting early Scandinavian copper ore required significantly more timber fuel per kilogram of finished metal than previously estimated.
  3. C
    Copper tools preserved from 2500 BCE show significantly higher durability and wear resistance than traditional flint implements previously used for agricultural clearing.
  4. D
    The early inhabitants of the archipelago eventually abandoned copper smelting in favor of iron forging centuries later due to dwindling local timber reserves.
  5. E
    Sediment cores taken from lakes located far from any metallurgical sites showed no measurable change in tree pollen during the third millennium BCE.

Answer

The argument is most weakened by the finding that a virulent fungal blight devastated major tree species around 2500 BCE, drastically reducing tree pollen levels independent of human logging.
The argument infers that human timber harvesting caused the tree pollen drop observed in sediment cores. Demonstrating that a fungal blight devastated tree species in the region at the exact same time provides an independent alternative explanation for the pollen decrease, thereby severely weakening the causal connection to copper smelting fuel.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Deconstruct the argument structure into premises and conclusion
Premise: Sediment cores near smelting hearths show a sudden drop in tree pollen around 2500 BCE. Conclusion: Copper working caused a surge in timber harvesting for fuel.
Identifying the unstated assumption (that the pollen drop was specifically caused by human timber harvesting for fuel) reveals the argument's key vulnerability.
2
Evaluate potential weakening strategies
To undermine a causal inference, show an alternative cause for the observed effect (the tree pollen reduction) that operates independently of the presumed cause (timber harvesting).
If an environmental factor caused the pollen drop, the correlation between smelting artifacts and pollen loss does not prove a causal relation.
3
Assess the correct alternative cause statement
A widespread fungal blight attacking major tree species around 2500 BCE accounts for the reduced tree pollen without requiring timber harvesting.
This directly severing the link between copper smelting fuel needs and the observed pollen data.

Key Concept

Weakening Causal Arguments via Alternative Causes
Rate this question

Topics

Weakening Arguments

More questions from this topic