Author Topic: Conflating geocentrism with flat earth (Read 362 times)

Jaynek · « **on:** December 29, 2017, 06:52:34 AM »

Several posters here make a habit of using quotes which show a belief in geocentrism to claim the author must also believe in flat earth. This is unjustifed as an assumption. Many, possibly most, of those who accepted geocentrism after the 2nd century did so using the Ptolemaic model presented in the Amalgest. As per the Wikipedia article:

Quote

The Almagest (/ˈælməˌdʒɛst/) is a 2nd-century Greek-language mathematical and astronomical treatise on the apparent motions of the stars and planetary paths, written by Claudius Ptolemy (c. AD 100 – c. 170). One of the most influential scientific texts of all time, its geocentric model was accepted for more than 1200 years from its origin in Hellenistic Alexandria, in the medieval Byzantine and Islamic worlds, and in Western Europe through the Middle Ages and early Renaissance until Copernicus.

Here are the main propositions of this model:

Quote

The celestial realm is spherical and moves as a sphere.
The Earth is a sphere.
The Earth is at the center of the cosmos.
The Earth, in relations to the distance of the fixed stars, has no appreciable size and must be treated as a mathematical point.
The Earth does not move.

Note that one of these is that the earth is a sphere. The most influential presentation of geocentrism did not include a belief in a flat earth, so there is no basis for assuming that comments supporting geocentrism imply flat earth. It is necessary to show specific support for flat earth.

Truth is Eternal · « **Reply #1 on:** December 30, 2017, 06:41:43 PM »

The horizon always appears perfectly flat 360 degrees around the observer regardless of altitude. All amateur balloon, rocket, plane and drone footage show a completely flat horizon over 20+ miles high. Only NASA and other government "space agencies" show curvature in their fake CGI photos/videos.

The horizon always rises to the eye level of the observer as altitude is gained, so you never have to look down to see it. If Earth were in fact a globe, no matter how large, as you ascended the horizon would stay fixed and the observer / camera would have to tilt looking down further and further to see it.

The natural physics of water is to find and maintain its level. If Earth were a giant sphere tilted, wobbling and hurdling through infinite space then truly flat, consistently level surfaces would not exist here. But since Earth is in fact an extended flat plane, this fundamental physical property of fluids finding and remaining level is consistent with experience and common sense.

Author Topic: Conflating geocentrism with flat earth (Read 362 times)

Jaynek

Conflating geocentrism with flat earth

Truth is Eternal

Re: Conflating geocentrism with flat earth