"The Naked Archaeologist" concept and the importance of the cognitive nakedness in archaeology for living life in accordance with nature  - meditations on the open access to the archaeological reasoning process  IBE (inference to best explanation) and EBI (explanation before inference) -
Creators: name: Talevski, Hristijan
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: archaeological reasoning
nature
epistemology
IBE
sustainable future

description: Despite the vast number of opportunities and tools for publishing the results from the field archaeological research, a significant part of the reasoning process upon which decisions are made during the field activities remains "behind the curtains." Additionally, without access to the raw archival documentation from a particular field of research, much data with a significant potential to bring other plausible explanations and side perspectives remains unreachable. Very often, what we need while considering results from archaeological research is a deliberate illumination of "the other possible and plausible solutions to the puzzle," made by the one who acquired the data firsthand. The topic of the paper proposed is a concept for the development of a computer-based system that would enable efficient and open access to information, structured on different levels, considering reliability. starting with what we know and the basic graphic and alphanumeric data, followed by what information was extracted, and ending with how it was interpreted. We believe that there is nothing wrong with admitting and illuminating the process by which a particular knowledge was generated, not only by applying the very same procedure to all the movable and immovable finds but also to the stratigraphic units that containm ,ed them. all followed by cumulative, perpetual hypothesis development and testing as an adequate epistemological approach. Simply put, there is nothing wrong with illuminating our level of expertise and understanding and, at the same time, enabling constant data evaluation through the (un)coordinated work of other researchers, without or after new data, methods, techniques, technology, or even other disciplinary approaches are implemented. Enabling a never-ending process where different skillsets of a person or research teams will trigger new hypotheses, new perspectives, opinions, interpretations, and views, all for a better and more comprehensive understanding of humans and their behavior and the environment in the past. 

The current state of development in archeology could be regarded as "hybrid archeology". This is a consequence of the growing applications of a wide range of methods, techniques, and technologies borrowed primarily from the natural and computer sciences. This development was possible because many of the techniques and methods applicable in the research of organic and non-organic materials or the exact recording of physical objects are equally relevant and applicable to the study of past human societies in their natural environment. This growing trend of hybridization or interdisciplinarity has highlighted the discrepancy between the extent of standardization of the methods implemented in the „hard sciences“, a part of which is being used in archaeological research, and the small number of international standards adopted in archaeological research. The cumulative character of archaeological knowledge, the selective application or absence of appropriate critical apparatus evidenced in some academic environments, also, cognitive biases, cultural and academic background and environment, cultural and academic imperialism, the struggle for resources necessary for archaeological research, absence of self-reflexivity, replicability, hypothesis testing, historical analysis of data were and still are some of the greatest challenges for the archaeologists. Especially for those living and working in underdeveloped and low-income countries.

Besides other benefits, we believe that all the information about the past, structured considering the level of reliability, will be a great resource to raise awareness of how important the knowledge about the behavior of our ancestors is, regarding the problems facing modern civilization, seen through the scope of human-nature interaction. Our ancestors also experienced the manifestations of over-exploitation of resources, natural disasters, disasters resulting from inadequate maintenance of architecture and infrastructure, pollution, climate change, disrupted social and economic relations, interrupted or damaged communication networks, slow development, wars, migrations, the spread of diseases between people and animals, crime, corruption, disregard of laws… We believe that open access to relevant information and to the reasoning and arguments on which the knowledge of our past is based are part of the tools necessary for building a better future for humanity. In that direction, one of the main goals is to raise awareness about the need for a strong and sincere commitment to maximizing the positive use of the potential of cultural heritage in the direction of stimulating critical thinking and building a sound logic based on arguments among the young. Raising their awareness of what it means to live in harmony with nature, something our ancestors knew far better than we do. For that reason, it is necessary to engage all available human resources, technology, and knowledge generated so far and use all available resources in general in solving the problems we face as humanity. 

The concept proposed is grounded on the use of the Extended Matrix, the tool for virtual reconstruction in archaeology with IBE and EBI as theoretical background. It tries to establish a powerful bridge between geographic information systems, image-based modeling, and tools for interaction with alphanumeric and graphic data in a 3D virtual environment. The proposed concept coincides with the growing trend of ethical use of AI in archaeological research, emphasizing the need for creativity in every aspect of human life, interaction between people, and the ability to invent and interpret things in a manner that machines cannot. The possibility to train algorithms on the available data, to be used to predict the most probable identification of a find or group of finds can contribute to the efficiency of the archaeological research. Leaving space enough for strengthening the other aspects of the archaeological research. The use of AI in the archaeological reasoning process is beyond comprehension at this moment. Still, the very first simulations are expected relatively soon.