Diffusionists and Inventionists

Diffusion of the water lily delicate motif was his explanation of the similarity. Inventionists argued against this connection. To them the similarities

. . . were just now an example of the psychic consistency of mankind (4).

Of course, it is impossible to prove or disprove this crystallize of "psychic unity" or early(a) similar arguments make by the inventionists. While there is simply not ample solid evidence on either side to mystify the debate to rest, there is certainly enough evidence to incorporate the diffusionists far more seriously than such inventionists as blast would suggest. The difficulties of coming to certain conclusions is summarized by Fingerhut:

Inventionists denounce diffusionists regularly for not developing such relationships between supposed donors and hosts. However, inventionists assume that merely having two forms (a primitive and a sophisticated) of a cultural artefact near each other, proves influence or antecedence (4).

neither side "proves" the incontrovertible truth or untruth of either side, but there is reasonable evidence that the diffusionists argument testament someday reveal much historically worthwhile round the development of the Amerindians and their relationship with visitors from other regions.

Diffusionists refer to evidence "that Amerindians were intermittently visited by the ancient Celts, Libyans, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Egyptians, Hebrews, Greeks, Romans, and Northern Europeans. . . . " (7). Admittedly, this evidence is "largely . . . cir

cumstantial" (7). Even such historians as slam White, who opposes diffusion, concedes that "some remarkable similarities exist and can best be explained by diffusion. 'For instance, that the art of making paper and cloth verboten of tree-bark in the Americas was almost certainly introduced from Indonesia ab discover 1500 B.C.

' This marks White's bridal of the thesis

The evidence of diffusionist Barry Fell, based on interpretations of paper on rocks and other natural surfaces in North American, concludes that "the ancient Celtic writing system, Ogam, was written throughout much of North America" (19). As with other such indications, however, debate rages with no definitive conclusions. The analyze point of this brief study, however, is not to prove beyond any doubt that diffusionists are correct, but merely to point out that diffusionist theory is far more worthy of serious study than many inventionists would allow. To suggest that Amerindians were influenced by visitors from other lands does not play down the importance and sophistication of their civilization any more than suggesting that visitors' civilizations were influenced by Amerindians somehow historically diminishes those visitors' civilizations. It seems that inventionists are overly sensitive to any suggestion that Amerindians did not independently arrive at every(prenominal) cultural advancement with no outside influence whatsoever. No cult
Ordercustompaper.com is a professional essay writing service at which you can buy essays on any topics and disciplines! All custom essays are written by professional writers!