PT158 S4 Q9 ExplanationRobin: Archaeologists can study the

Answer choices, explained

1. A

   Not Their Disagreement9% picked this

   the distinction that Robin makes between two kinds of cultures

   Neither Robin nor Kendall debates whether the distinction between nomadic and sedentary cultures is illegitimate or improper. Both speakers accept that these are meaningful, real categories of cultural organization. Their disagreement is not about the taxonomy itself but about the methodology of classification — specifically, whether artifact durability is a reliable indicator of which category a culture belongs to. Robin uses artifact type to sort cultures into the nomadic/sedentary framework. Kendall challenges the sorting method but does not challenge the framework. It is analogous to two doctors who agree patients can be healthy or sick but disagree about whether a particular blood test accurately diagnoses the condition. The categories are shared common ground; the diagnostic method is the battleground.

   9%
2. B

   Correct58% picked this

   it is reasonable to assume that a culture whose artifacts were not

   Why this is right

   Robin's reasoning implies that finding predominantly non-durable artifacts gives archaeologists reason to assume the culture was nomadic. If durable artifacts indicate sedentary culture, then the absence of durable artifacts (and presence of non-durable ones) would indicate the opposite. Robin would affirm this proposition. Kendall directly challenges this inference. Under Kendall's view, a culture might produce non-durable artifacts simply because durable raw materials were not available in their region, regardless of whether they were nomadic or sedentary. A settled culture near a bamboo forest would produce non-durable artifacts; a nomadic culture near a quarry might produce durable ones. Kendall would deny that non-durable artifacts give reasonable grounds for assuming a nomadic lifestyle. This is a genuine point of disagreement: the same proposition — that non-durable artifacts support an inference of nomadic culture — receives a "yes" from Robin and a "no" from Kendall.

   Skill tested: Agree/Disagree · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

   58%
3. C

   Not Addressed by Either Speaker26% picked this

   any evidence other than the intended durability of a culture's artifacts can establish conclusively which of the two kinds of

   This answer asks whether evidence other than artifact durability could conclusively establish whether a culture was nomadic or sedentary. Neither Robin nor Kendall engages with this question. Both speakers confine their discussion entirely to artifact-based inferences. Robin does not claim artifacts are the only source of evidence, and Kendall does not suggest looking beyond artifacts for answers. Their debate is narrowly about the logic of inferring lifestyle from artifact characteristics, not about the existence or non-existence of alternative evidence. Since neither speaker addresses this proposition, it cannot be identified as a point of disagreement — you need one speaker to affirm it and one to deny it, and here neither engages with it at all.

   26%
4. D

   Not Referenced by Either Speaker2% picked this

   the distinction that Robin makes between the different kinds of cultures is as important as

   This answer introduces the views of "many archaeologists," which neither Robin nor Kendall references. Both speakers present their own reasoning about artifact interpretation without appealing to or commenting on the broader professional consensus. Robin argues from a principle (durable artifacts indicate sedentary culture). Kendall argues from a counter-principle (materials determine artifacts). Neither frames their position in terms of what the archaeological community at large believes about the importance of this distinction. A point of disagreement must be a proposition that one speaker would affirm and the other would deny based on their stated views. Since neither speaker addresses the prevalence or importance of any particular view among archaeologists, this cannot be their point of contention.

   2%
5. E

   Both Probably Agree5% picked this

   studying a culture's artifacts can reveal a great deal about

   Both Robin and Kendall operate from the shared assumption that studying artifacts can reveal a great deal about the cultures that produced them. Robin believes artifacts reveal lifestyle patterns (nomadic vs. sedentary). Kendall believes artifacts reveal the materials available in a culture's geographic region. Both extract meaningful cultural information from artifacts — they simply extract different conclusions. Since neither speaker doubts the general principle that artifacts are informative about cultures, this cannot be a point of disagreement. For a proposition to qualify, one speaker must accept it and the other must reject it. Here, both would affirm that artifacts reveal much about a culture's past. Their dispute is not about whether artifacts are informative but about what specific inference is justified — a narrower and more precise disagreement captured by the correct answer.

   5%