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Why do some people *still* think the earth is flat?
Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary (like, I can fly in a plane
around the entire planet; shots of the earth from space, etc.) there are a
number of people who still believe the earth is flat. Furthermore, they
have spent a lot of time coming up with complex explanations to support
their theories:
http://www.alaska.net/~clund/e_djublonskopf/Flatearthsociety.htm
Why is that?
around the entire planet; shots of the earth from space, etc.) there are a
number of people who still believe the earth is flat. Furthermore, they
have spent a lot of time coming up with complex explanations to support
their theories:
http://www.alaska.net/~clund/e_djublonskopf/Flatearthsociety.htm
Why is that?
answers (8)
Since this is an 'opinion question' to which there is no hard and fast best possible answer, only a 'best possible opinion' ... I will venture mine:
Some people feel threatened by science. They don't understand it -- yet it pervades our world, increasingly more so every day. Science is therefore an emotional threat to them, so they respond emotionally: by shutting it out.
This (sometimes) manifests as denial of the roundness of the earth.
The reason for the 'complex explanations' they concoct to support their position is, paradoxically, because they want to sound scientific. They want to be taken seriously by others, and scientific-sounding explanations are the way to make that happen.
Some people feel threatened by science. They don't understand it -- yet it pervades our world, increasingly more so every day. Science is therefore an emotional threat to them, so they respond emotionally: by shutting it out.
This (sometimes) manifests as denial of the roundness of the earth.
The reason for the 'complex explanations' they concoct to support their position is, paradoxically, because they want to sound scientific. They want to be taken seriously by others, and scientific-sounding explanations are the way to make that happen.
source(s):
My own opinion
My own opinion
The page you linked to is a parody site, though there are probably people out there who do actually still think the Earth is flat.
"One group that claims to be the Flat Earth Society states on their website that it has existed as an organization since 1547. They provide a mission statement, evidence, and a form that interested individuals can fill out to join, however the Alaska.net site is a parody page as is evidenced by their disclaimer
The Flat Earth Society is not in any way responsible for the failure of the French to repel the Germans at the Maginot Line during WWII. Nor is the Flat Earth Society responsible for the recent yeti sightings outside the Vatican, or for the unfortunate enslavement of the Nabisco Inc. factory employees by a rogue hamster insurrectionist group. Furthermore, we are not responsible for the loss of one or more of the following, which may possibly occur as the result of exposing one's self to the dogmatic and dangerously subversive statements made within: life, limb, vision, Francois Mitterand, hearing, taste, smell, touch, thumb, Aunt Mildred, citizenship, spleen, bedrock, cloves, I Love Lucy reruns, toaster, pine derby racer, toy duck, antelope, horseradish, prosthetic ankle, double-cheeseburger, tin foil, limestone, watermelon-scented air freshner, sanity, paprika, German to Pig Latin dictionary, dish towel, pet Chihuahua, pogo stick, Golf Digest subscription, floor tile, upper torso or halibut." -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_earth_society#Flat_Earth_Society_Today
Some people "still" think the Earth is flat for the same reason that some people "still" think that evolution isn't real--SOMETHING has clouded their minds to the point where they are unable to think objectively on a subject, which leads them to conclusions that make no sense, and/or are contradicted by the facts.
"One group that claims to be the Flat Earth Society states on their website that it has existed as an organization since 1547. They provide a mission statement, evidence, and a form that interested individuals can fill out to join, however the Alaska.net site is a parody page as is evidenced by their disclaimer
The Flat Earth Society is not in any way responsible for the failure of the French to repel the Germans at the Maginot Line during WWII. Nor is the Flat Earth Society responsible for the recent yeti sightings outside the Vatican, or for the unfortunate enslavement of the Nabisco Inc. factory employees by a rogue hamster insurrectionist group. Furthermore, we are not responsible for the loss of one or more of the following, which may possibly occur as the result of exposing one's self to the dogmatic and dangerously subversive statements made within: life, limb, vision, Francois Mitterand, hearing, taste, smell, touch, thumb, Aunt Mildred, citizenship, spleen, bedrock, cloves, I Love Lucy reruns, toaster, pine derby racer, toy duck, antelope, horseradish, prosthetic ankle, double-cheeseburger, tin foil, limestone, watermelon-scented air freshner, sanity, paprika, German to Pig Latin dictionary, dish towel, pet Chihuahua, pogo stick, Golf Digest subscription, floor tile, upper torso or halibut." -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_earth_society#Flat_Earth_Society_Today
Some people "still" think the Earth is flat for the same reason that some people "still" think that evolution isn't real--SOMETHING has clouded their minds to the point where they are unable to think objectively on a subject, which leads them to conclusions that make no sense, and/or are contradicted by the facts.
Because you can't reason someone out of a position they didn't reason themselves into. For some people, what they want to believe comes before what the data seems to show.
source(s):
Countless internet arguments
Countless internet arguments
I think its a lack of education, some people just are not interested in learning about the physical attributes of the earth they live on. And this is passed on and on for generations to the point where there are still people today who don't know if the world is flat or not....some of these people are on your TV even today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbizzLzcpnM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbizzLzcpnM
Haha. You do realize this is about Thomas Friedman's book about globalization, "The World is Flat", don't you?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_Is_Flat
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_Is_Flat
Nope, it was in fact about whether or not the actual earth was round or flat, no part of this discussion was about Thomas Friedman.
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/mediaculture/69739/
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/mediaculture/69739/
Actually, historically not that many people really thought the Earth was flat. Certainly not the Greeks, and not the scholars at the time of Columbus. What people have believed is that the Earth is the center of the Universe, and everything else rotates around it. This belief is the best explanation for everything you can see. The model successfully predicts the rotation of everything we see in the sky, and provides excellent navigational tools. Only when you really start breaking down orbital eccentricities and use telescopes to observes shadows on moons of other planets does the model break down.
However, most educated people who traveled since the time of Ptolemy had plenty of evidence about the shape and even the size of Earth. Simple watching a ship come in over the horizon is enough, but the ancient Greeks measured shadow lengths at different places at certain times of day, and successfully figured out how big the planet is.
However, most educated people who traveled since the time of Ptolemy had plenty of evidence about the shape and even the size of Earth. Simple watching a ship come in over the horizon is enough, but the ancient Greeks measured shadow lengths at different places at certain times of day, and successfully figured out how big the planet is.
source(s):
I recommend Thomas Kuhn, Structure of Scientific Revolutions, or the Copernican Revolution.
I recommend Thomas Kuhn, Structure of Scientific Revolutions, or the Copernican Revolution.
People believe the earth is flat because it LOOKS flat. Some people only believe what they can see.
I've come across a Flat Earth Society site before, but it was not this one. I've heard that they don't actually believe that the earth is flat, but are a group to promote being skeptical about what you hear or what you read. But don't take my word for it.
Once you admit that the world is round you will find yourself contemplating that the moon is round too. Then the sun, and the planets! Then you might find evidence that the world goes around the sun rather than the other way around. Oh no! The world is not the center of the universe! Worse yet, I am not the center of the universe! So, let's step back a moment. Obviously I am the center of the universe, therefor the world must be flat and all that other stuff is nonsense.
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