I cannot believe nobody has ever taken the bait on this one, and I felt very required to do so.
Have you guys heard about Flat Earth Theory?
There is their Frequently Asked Questions on their forum, which outlines the majority of their viewpoints. It actually seems well put together, and MAYBE even possible!
But, knowing you wonderful Dopers who are about to bash me and call me an idiot for even thinking it’s SOMEWHAT MAYBE possible, you’re going to give me conclusive evidence to prove it wrong.
I don’t think I need to link to anything giving information on the theory of the Earth being round… Please ask me to do so if that is inaccurate.
Here’s an easy one: in an era of near-instantaneous communication, we know that part of the Earth is facing towards the sun at the same time that part of the Earth is facing away from the sun, while other parts are facing perpendicular to the sun.
Nope, one big reason why no one takes that bait is that right out of the bat the physics they are using are bat shit insane; for example, the sun over the earth, has no reasonable mechanism for the sun to do those things, unless they are insisting that a wizard is doing it.
Together with them resorting to a monumental conspiracy theory to deny the evidence from space does put them into automatic dismissal territory.
I know it’s automatic dismissal territory. I probably worded the OP badly. I should’ve added “to someone who doesn’t really read the entire theory” (probably 90% of their community) after “possible!”.
How about seeing a ship disappear over the horizon? If the Earth were flat, you would see it forever.
Or that fact that every other large visible celestial body (moon, sun, planets) are spherical. Which is the shape you would expect gravity to pull them into.
Generally, I don’t find a need to have a logical argument with insane people to convince them to not be insane.
Guys, guys! I’m NOT defending them! I know the earth is round, so chill, mrsmith537.
I just wanted to bring this up since nobody else had.
April R: In simple defense that I do not agree with, that could’ve been easily forged.
Oh, and, mrsmith537, I don’t believe you have the capability to see anything for an infinite distance, even on a totally flat surface. Distortion due to, ya know, stuff in the air? So that’s kind of a failure of “proof” for a hard core Flat Earth Conspiracy supporter, even though it’s still totally logical.
Wow, here’s a good one from that site:
"People have been into space. How have they not discovered that the earth is flat?
The most commonly accepted explanation of this is that the space agencies of the world are involved in a conspiracy faking space travel and exploration,** the motive of which is to cover up the fact that space travel is not possible**, along with making a profit for themselves by embezzling most of their funding. The conspiracy likely began during the Cold War’s ‘Space Race’, in which the U.S.S.R and USA were obsessed with beating each other into space to the point that each faked their accomplishments in an attempt to keep pace with the others supposed achievements. Other nations who claim to have operational space programs similarly are faking theirs so to appear to be on par with other developed countries technologically. It is unknown whether or not the space agencies of the world work together to uphold the illusion of space travel."
I’m aware, but he/she didn’t say that. I’m having to play Devil’s Advocate here to keep this going because I couldn’t imagine anyone is going to try backing up Flat Earth Theory. :smack:
This died too quickly. I figured with the anger that so many Dopers have toward stupid ideas, that this thing would’ve blown up. Eh, whatever. Time to give them (FET believers) a link to this.
Well, I don’t know what others think, but I tend to look at what to fight depending on the damage the ignorant subject is getting the world into, there are a number of influential people out there that for example deny that HIV causes AIDS, or tell people to not vaccinate children and do need to be taken head on, this flat earth business is really a “nobody of any power or importance” ignorant subject, so call me when Flat Earthers are in a position to tell NASA or textbook makers to make propaganda of their “controversy”.
We need a lot of help against creationists, racialists, homeopathic medicine(!) and climate change deniers because there are even people that push for that in congress.
See, on their forum all of the “haters” of their theory not a single person used such an example that was so easy to test.
I’m having to play Devil’s Advocate here to keep this going because I couldn’t imagine anyone is going to try backing up Flat Earth Theory. :smack:
