Eratosthenes < flat earth simple question...

Stealth3si · 08-23-2009, 07:51 PM

Through basic geometry, his measurement of the Earth's circumference proved with overwhelming evidence the world was round.

Does this show the world is not flat?

If so, did people still believe the earth was flat because they were not convinced?

If not, please state your reason.

tmlfan123 · 08-23-2009, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stealth3si

Through basic geometry, his measurement of the Earth's circumference proved with overwhelming evidence the world was round.

If you're measuring the Earth's circumference, it seems to me that you must be pre-supposing that the Earth is round. Any arguments based off a measurement of the Earth's circumference would be absurd to someone who didn't believe the Earth was round in the first place.

Stealth3si · 08-24-2009, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmlfan123

If you're measuring the Earth's circumference, it seems to me that you must be pre-supposing that the Earth is round. Any arguments based off a measurement of the Earth's circumference would be absurd to someone who didn't believe the Earth was round in the first place.

Certainly. But if there was overwhelming evidence the Earth was round, then would it still be absurd to someone who didn't believe the Earth was round?

**thesteve** · 09-04-2009, 05:12 PM

I think that it really just depends on your perspective. For some, the evidence was overwhelming, for others itjust didn't seem to quite line up.

Hopefully this doesn't create a tangent, but consider the modern debate surrounding evolution. One side says the evidence is overwhelming and that it's nonsense to believe otherwise, while the other remains unconvinced, often stating the evidence is flawed.

nolidad · 09-07-2009, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thesteve

I think that it really just depends on your perspective. For some, the evidence was overwhelming, for others itjust didn't seem to quite line up.

Hopefully this doesn't create a tangent, but consider the modern debate surrounding evolution. One side says the evidence is overwhelming and that it's nonsense to believe otherwise, while the other remains unconvinced, often stating the evidence is flawed.

not the evidence- but the interpretation of the evidence and the incomplete lines of evidence.

**thesteve** · 09-07-2009, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nolidad

not the evidence- but the interpretation of the evidence and the incomplete lines of evidence.

and you have proven my point.

JerryLove · 09-11-2009, 08:05 PM

Some thought the earth was a disk (they saw its shadow on the moon). Some had proven it to be round (there are varying methods, but they go back to the time of Socraties). Some said "look it it, it's obviously flat".

Similarly, as late as the reformation, people like Calvin and Luther were claiming that the Sun orbited the Earth.