Scientist: A controversy in paleontology centers on the question of whether prehistoric human ancestors began to develop sophisticated tools before or after they came to stand upright. █ █████ ████ ████ █████ ███████ ██████ ██████ ███████ ████████ ██████████ ████████ ████ ███ ██ ███ ██████ ███ ████████ ███████ █████ ████ █████████
The scientist takes a position in a debate about whether prehistoric human ancestors developed sophisticated tools before or after they began standing upright. The scientist's conclusion is that standing upright came first. Why? Because advanced toolmaking requires free use of the hands, and standing upright makes free use of the hands possible. In other words, the scientist believes standing upright is a prerequisite for advanced toolmaking, so it must have come first.
Notice how the scientist's reasoning works: advanced toolmaking requires free use of the hands, and standing upright makes free use of the hands possible. The scientist treats this as proof that standing upright came before sophisticated tools. But all the scientist has really shown is that standing upright is one way to achieve the free use of hands that toolmaking requires. But it might not be the only way. Maybe our ancestors could have freed up their hands through some other method besides standing up? To weaken the argument, we should be on the lookout for answers that undermine the scientist's assumption that standing upright was required in order for our ancestors to have free use of their hands.
Analysis by Kevin_Lin
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