Atlantis :D

In my response, introduce an argument for the existence of Atlantis and then afterwards either refute my opponent’s claims or show how my argument explains the contention. Now, onto the argument. Introduction Ever since Plato described Atlantis in his famous dialogues, there have been hundreds of theories and searches for the Lost City, encompassing even strange ideas such as the Bermuda Triangle.1 However, in recent years, new theories have been formed, and I will be arguing the most convincing one, that in reality, the story of Atlantis was really the story of the Minoan civilization, with a few recognizable errors that can be understood through the troubles of historiography. My argument will be in the form of the following syllogism:1. The Minoan civilization existed.2. Atlantis was the Minoan civilization.3. Therefore, Atlantis existed. In the following sections, I will argue each of my premises and then justify the conclusion, and also show how the inconsistencies are really just errors in historiography. The Minoan civilization existed. This first premise will be the easiest to accept by even the most skeptical of readers. The Minoan civilization is widely documented.2 The Minoans appeared on Crete around 2000 BC and developed a stable civilization with a culture, religion, and wealth, culminating in the construction of large palaces.3 One of the most interesting things about the civilization is that they were a seafaring people; they constructed a navy and traded with civilizations around the Mediterranean.4 However, study of this Bronze Age culture is hindered by the fact that we cannot read their early language, Linear A;5 the Minoans kept hundreds of documents such as inventories, but they may never be deciphered. Many theories exist on how these ancient Cretans were destroyed, including the link between the disappearance of the Minoans and the eruption of a volcano on the nearby Thera, an eruption that not only would have devastated the neighboring Crete but would “likely have generated an even larger tsunami and pyroclastic flows that traveled much farther over the surface of the sea. ”6 Now that you may already see the parallels between the Minoans and Atlantis, I will move on to the next premise. Atlantis was the Minoan civilization. Let us first begin with Plato’s account of the Atlanteans. Atlantis was “a naval power located at the Pillars of Hercules (today's Strait of Gibraltar) that had successfully conquered large swaths of Western Europe. After its defeat, Atlantis then sunk into the sea, never to be seen or heard from again. ”7 Although it may seem as if I am stretching the truth here, you must see the striking resemblance in Atlantis to the Minoans of Crete. Both Atlantis according to Plato and the Minoans had a prominent navy, useful for trading or conquering, were both located in the Mediterranean or the area around (this is where the historiographical errors may be present), and both were destroyed by a cataclysmic natural event, a tsunami, or in the case of the Minoans, a volcano and subsequent tsunami. Again, I am not arguing that Atlantis was a separate civilization, I am merely saying that the story of the Minoans on Crete, who the Greeks were well aware of,8 was recounted by Plato as the story of Atlantis. While it may be difficult to wrap your mind around an entire continent sinking into the Ocean, still undiscovered despite advances in underwater exploration, it isn’t that much of a stretch to say that the story was really just a retelling of the Minoan story, a civilization already well-documented. Therefore, Atlantis existed. As I have said before, I am not arguing that Atlantis was a separate continent in the Atlantic, or even underwater. When Plato says Atlantis was “afterward sunk by an earthquake,”9 he was referring to the volcano-caused tsunamis that destroyed Thera and Crete. When Plato says Atlantis “conveyed the fruits of the earth in ships,”9 he was referring to the vast Minoan fleet that traded with the Mediterranean. I will now explain the many references to errors in historiography that I have mentioned. Plato mentions several attributes that are inconsistent with the Minoans. For example, Plato states that Atlantis had an “extent greater than that of Libya and Asia”9 and was located in the “Pillars of Heracles. ”9 While my opponent may use these contradictions against me, please note that Plato describes Atlantis based on “what was said by the priests, and brought hither by Solon,”9 so the story was passed down several times before being discussed by Plato in his historic dialogue. As we all know, errors will almost certainly arise as stories are passed along generations; only the most prominent features of the story (such as the rise, trade, and destruction of Atlantis) remained truthful. But in the end, however, I will argue that Atlantis was based in fact and not fiction, and this fact was the story of the great Minoan civilization. Rebuttal 1: Size and location My opponent states in his argument, “Atlantis will not fit into the Atlantic Ocean,” because of the size Plato describes and the measured size of the Atlantic Ocean. If we take Plato’s size, sure, my opponent’s argument stands. However, since Plato was actually describing the Minoan civilization, the size of the landmass Plato describes can be taken as a historical mistake in the discussion of the dialogues. We already know that Greek historians such as Herodotus exaggerated facts and was blatantly incorrect at times.10 It is safe to say Plato exaggerated the size of Atlantis (as well as many other historical factors) in his narration. Rebuttal 2: Philosophical point My opponent argues, “Perhaps, the entire point of the story was to make a point about what would happen to Athens. ” While this may seem like a valid point, translations of the Critias and Timaeus make it clear that Plato was speaking as if relaying actual historical information. He says before introducing the story of Atlantis, “[…]for all the important part of what I have to tell is dependent on her favor, and if I can recollect and recite enough of what was said by the priests, and brought hither by Solon, I doubt not that I shall satisfy the requirements of this theatre. ”9 Plato’s tone does not resemble that of a parable or allegory, but rather that of genuine communication of historical fact. Rebuttal 3: Destruction date Again, Plato may have very well gotten his history incorrect when speaking of the great Minoans. Refer to the size discrepancy and blatant historical exaggeration above. References1. . http://goo.gl...2. . http://goo.gl...3. . http://goo.gl...4. . http://goo.gl...5. . http://goo.gl...6. . http://goo.gl...7. . http://goo.gl...8. . http://goo.gl...9. . http://goo.gl...10. . http://goo.gl.... 50