19th March 2010, 06:18 PM
brazier Wrote:mididoctors
The questions are of a similar nature, but not of the same type, but that's a philosophy of science debate.
Aren't you ignoring that "if any"? "If any" distinguishes the question from being presumptive - it is asking for one to search for negative evidence for the hypothesis. It probably should be phrased more clearly though, first, stating the presumption, and then, asking for that presumption to be tested by archaeological "experiment". Is that, roughly, what niggles you about it? That it lacks rigor?
I would tend to agree with your interpretation of "any"
but in practice this is not followed for two basics reasons
1. the person tasked with the analysis does not make use of the word "any"
2. the person tasked with the analysis is discouraged or actively told not to pursue such lines of inquiry
the second does and has taken place about this very question and is clearly a management issue
the use of negative evidence was attempted for this very question and was blackballed by a presumed best in class archaeological unit... because its remit was too wide.