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Author Topic:   Flat Earth
Tony650
Member (Idle past 4032 days)
Posts: 450
From: Australia
Joined: 01-30-2004


Message 16 of 19 (129841)
08-02-2004 4:43 PM
Reply to: Message 11 by coffee_addict
08-02-2004 2:30 PM


Re: Reasons for being a flat earther
Lam writes:
However, it depends on what you define "flat" as.
That's a good point, Lam. In colloquial speech, we tend to think of "flat" as being defined by a level, two dimensional surface.
Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the Earth simply lacks any size along the fourth axis. This would apply regardless of the number of dimensions involved. For example, a two dimensional circle lacks any size along the third axis.
You're correct that it's a bit of a play on words. Technically, "flat" does describe the state of the Earth along the fourth axis but that's not what people generally think of when they hear the word "flat", so it can be somewhat misleading.
I guess the point which should be made clear is that Andya's physicist friend is not saying that the Earth is "flat" in the common vernacular i.e. like a circle or any other two dimensional shape.

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 Message 11 by coffee_addict, posted 08-02-2004 2:30 PM coffee_addict has not replied

  
Tony650
Member (Idle past 4032 days)
Posts: 450
From: Australia
Joined: 01-30-2004


Message 17 of 19 (129842)
08-02-2004 4:49 PM
Reply to: Message 13 by Mission for Truth
08-02-2004 3:37 PM


Re: Reasons for being a flat earther
Mission for Truth writes:
Yeah! He really is a flat-earther.
Well for what it's worth, you have my condolences.
Mission for Truth writes:
That's a great explanation, thanks!
You're quite welcome, Mission. And thank you for the compliment! I never imagined that I would be teaching something to anyone on EvC; I feel so privileged!
Mission for Truth writes:
Although, my friend isn't taking higher dimensions into account.
Yes, I understand that. My explanation was for Andya Primanda. Andya knows a physicist who made the statement about the Earth being "flat" with regard to higher dimensions so I thought I'd jump in as it's my area of expertise...*cough*...NOT!
No, actually it's just a topic I love and find fascinating.
Mission for Truth writes:
He still thinks we haven't been to space so I have to give my proof with nothing that includes NASA or satillites.
Well that rules just about everything out, but then, maybe that's the point.
I agree with Jar's suggestion, but personally, I wouldn't get my hopes up; if this guy believes that NASA, satellites, etc are all a big conspiracy I'm sure he'll find a way to "explain" the retroreflectors. And if he honestly believes the Earth is flat, he may be unreachable.
Sorry, I hope I'm not coming off as a total pessimist, I just don't like the odds of trying to reason with someone who believes the Earth is flat.
But by all means, give it a shot! Good luck!

This message is a reply to:
 Message 13 by Mission for Truth, posted 08-02-2004 3:37 PM Mission for Truth has not replied

  
Coragyps
Member (Idle past 734 days)
Posts: 5553
From: Snyder, Texas, USA
Joined: 11-12-2002


Message 18 of 19 (129846)
08-02-2004 5:00 PM
Reply to: Message 13 by Mission for Truth
08-02-2004 3:37 PM


Re: Reasons for being a flat earther
The Greeks figured out that the earth was a ball by 1) watching our circular shadow cover the moon in a lunar eclipse and 2) measuring the sun's altitude at noon at two places, one a few degrees latitude south of the other.
Or just let him light up another one.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 13 by Mission for Truth, posted 08-02-2004 3:37 PM Mission for Truth has not replied

  
Morte
Member (Idle past 6102 days)
Posts: 140
From: Texas
Joined: 05-03-2004


Message 19 of 19 (129963)
08-03-2004 4:55 AM


Now waaaaait just one second...
You're telling me that the earth isn't flat? C'mon, you guys are all kidding, right? Right?
***
In response to the first question, I'd always assumed that people who thought the earth was flat thought either believed...
1) It just stretched out infinitely in all directions (or, not circle *or* square). Seems more logical to me at the very least, than there just suddenly being an edge you can fall off of... wonder where you would end up?
...or...
2) It was circular (but large enough, I suppose, that if you reached an edge it would appear to you to stretch out in a straight line). Even with the innate craze of a sudden drop off the edge of the Earth, I suppose it doesn't seem as absurd as a circle as it would with corners.
What I wonder about a bit is the Equator - I seem to remember from some history class that *very* early northern explorers who hadn't passed it just assumed that it would continue to get hotter and hotter as you went further south. Just imagine, by the time you reached the southern edge of the earth you could no simply have the classic picture of an enormous waterfall over the edge; it would all be boiled away by then.
This message has been edited by Morte, 08-03-2004 03:57 AM

  
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