Flat Earth Belief

[Furrowed Brow]

To call someone a flat Earther used to be an insult to which the accused would get defensive. Maybe not anymore. Apparently there are now sufficient people who believe in a flat Earth they are able to hold conventions.



I am really not interested in debating the technical details of the arguments that lead some people to think the world is flat. There are a host of videos and presentations to be found - some very long and full of technical arguments. None stand up to serious scrutiny and after spending time on the subject I decided getting involved in a technical debate is just sad. If you believe otherwise feel free to start a different thread - so please remember this thread is not a debate about whether the world is flat or not.

The theme of this thread is sociological and the questions flat Earth belief raises about the times we live in.

Is flat Earth belief a healthy sign that the internet and youtube means anyone can make their voice heard? Does social media inflate the perceived size of the flat Earth movement and they can be safely ignored? Is this just an example that some people will believe anything and if it is odd and crazy enough a curiosity factor means they will garner attention? Or is this movement really growing in size and a sign of an intellectual retreat to a new dark age and the coming collapse of civilisation? Or something else?

[Danmark]

[Replying to post 1 by Furrowed Brow]

I have engaged in debate with Flat Earthers, one of whom is intelligent and a skilled debater despite the fact he knows almost nothing about science. What has been interesting (and sad to observe is how poorly those arguing against his view are able to bring science and math to bear on the subject.

But by far the worst part of the debate is that no amount or quality of scientific fact, logic, reason, or mathematics have any effect on the Flat Earther. What Flat Earthers do is to completely reject science itself. To them, all scientists are part of the same conspiracy; ALL photos of the Earth from outer space or from the moon are fakes and ALL experiments that demonstrate gravity or a spherical Earth are fraudulent. No analysis is provided; no individual examination of evidence is valued.

The danger of this approach is that the very search for truth itself is rejected over pure belief. Education itself is demeaned by this approach.

I was finding it difficult to understand how anyone could possibly believe the Earth is flat, especially when confronted with incontrovertible evidence that it is not. That is because it has less to do with its shape and far more to do with a deep-seated suspicion of anyone in a position of authority such as mainstream scientists. And conspiracy theorists, flat-Earthers included, seek to authenticate these suspicions at the expense of reason and logic.
https://www.theawl.com/2017/12/flat-ear ... -theories/

Other articles I've read about the psychology behind conspiracy theories in general suggest the believers enjoy the fact they can leapfrog over 'the elites' by substituting their lack of essential knowledge and thus feel superior to the experts.

[SkyChief]

[Replying to post 1 by Furrowed Brow]

I have engaged in debate with Flat Earthers, one of whom is intelligent and a skilled debater despite the fact he knows almost nothing about science.

This is pretty common with all Flat-Earthers... the profound lack of scientific knowledge.

De-merits for triteness... I accept.