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The earth could be flat

meh_meh_
edited March 2011 in General Banter
Seeing as I have never travelled completely around the globe, and have only what people have told me, pictures that I have seen etc to go on: Is it reasonable for me to be uncertain about the shape of the earth?

(Im not in any doubt about it, by the way)

Comments

  • taiyakitaiyaki Veteran
    is there anything you know 100% that you would bet your life and everyone elses life on?

    everything is theory.
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    With all the evidence you'd have to be the world's biggest skeptic. It would be reasonable to assume it's not flat, based on everything the entire species has discovered, recorded, all the satellites, us flying around it, pictures of it from orbit, space flight... there's too much.
  • meh_meh_
    With all the evidence you'd have to be the world's biggest skeptic. It would be reasonable to assume it's not flat, based on everything the entire species has discovered, recorded, all the satellites, us flying around it, pictures of it from orbit, space flight... there's too much.
    But there is an incredibly small chance. Still. I do accept that it is round, but it's still possible xD
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited March 2011
    Actually, the earth isn't round.
    It's an asymmetric shape, and is subject to the constant rigours of ever-moving tectonic plates.
    So really, splitting hairs, you're right.

    However, please can we prevent this from becoming a "my eyes are bleeding!" discussion....? :rant: :lol:

    (Ps: Moved thread to general banter. :rolleyes:)
  • meh_meh_
    edited March 2011
    Actually, the earth isn't round.
    It's an asymmetric shape, and is subject to the constant rigours of ever-moving tectonic plates.
    So really, splitting hairs, you're right.

    However, please can we prevent this from becoming a "my eyes are bleeding!" discussion....? :rant: :lol:

    (Ps: Moved thread to general banter. :rolleyes:)
    Ahahaha <3

    Sorry it was a random discussion I was having with a friend on msn :)


  • VictoriousVictorious Grim Veteran
    edited March 2011
    Seeing as I have never travelled completely around the globe, and have only what people have told me, pictures that I have seen etc to go on: Is it reasonable for me to be uncertain about the shape of the earth?

    (Im not in any doubt about it, by the way)

    This is a very sensible question. You should be in doubt. Very few people knows how to assert the roundness of the earth.

    Still people are convinced it is. It goes to show how similar science is to religion.

    Think about it it is a real pointer to how the illusion works on different levels.

    Good going meh_. Keep asking the right questions.

    This is a good reason why the definition of evidence is better in Buddhism than in science...


    /Victor

    Edit: I never came to think about this until I was in my 20:ties... So I guess you are a bit head of me. :)

  • taiyakitaiyaki Veteran
    i recall the earth having no set boundaries.
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    Seeing as I have never travelled completely around the globe, and have only what people have told me, pictures that I have seen etc to go on: Is it reasonable for me to be uncertain about the shape of the earth?

    (Im not in any doubt about it, by the way)
    Even if you got into an airplane and went around the world, would you still know for sure that the pilots weren't just messing with you and the earth really is flat? Some things you sorta have to take on faith :)
  • VictoriousVictorious Grim Veteran
    Seeing as I have never travelled completely around the globe, and have only what people have told me, pictures that I have seen etc to go on: Is it reasonable for me to be uncertain about the shape of the earth?

    (Im not in any doubt about it, by the way)
    Even if you got into an airplane and went around the world, would you still know for sure that the pilots weren't just messing with you and the earth really is flat? Some things you sorta have to take on faith :)
    There are perfectly good ways to assert the roundness of the earth.

  • meh_meh_
    The roundness of the earth is something that I accept, because I need to for my science lessons in school xD Also, it is where our science is presently at - it is the best that we have. But it is not essential to enlightenment or the cessation of suffering - so its not really relevent??
  • SherabDorjeSherabDorje
    Didn't some Greek or ancient Egyptian mathematician figure it out by measuring the angle of the sun in two different places?

    I kind of like the picture from the moon myself. That is, if you believe that men really went to the moon and the whole thing wasn't faked.
  • meh_meh_
    Didn't some Greek or ancient Egyptian mathematician figure it out by measuring the angle of the sun in two different places?

    I kind of like the picture from the moon myself. That is, if you believe that men really went to the moon and the whole thing wasn't faked.
    Everything can be doubted, with the exception of what we experience sensually.
    So what is the way to approach it? To accept that we can only know one thing for certain, and always doubt things? Or to accept them for what they are - theories.

  • CloudCloud Veteran
    Right it doesn't pertain to enlightenment. It's good to find a reasonable point at which you'll accept things based upon the evidence, as far as things like that go. For enlightenment, you need to directly experience suffering, its cause, the impermanence of life, investigate the interdependent and not-self nature of all things including each part of "you".
  • VictoriousVictorious Grim Veteran
    Or by noting the passing of venus in front of the sun from different places on earth. If I recall right.

  • shanyinshanyin Novice Yogin Sault Ontario Veteran
    http://theflatearthsociety.org/cms/

    Look at the sun. (with sunglasses) It's a circle. The moon is a circle. Probably because they are spherical. I think the chances are like 99%.

  • VictoriousVictorious Grim Veteran
    Didn't some Greek or ancient Egyptian mathematician figure it out by measuring the angle of the sun in two different places?

    I kind of like the picture from the moon myself. That is, if you believe that men really went to the moon and the whole thing wasn't faked.
    Everything can be doubted, with the exception of what we experience sensually.
    So what is the way to approach it? To accept that we can only know one thing for certain, and always doubt things? Or to accept them for what they are - theories.

    Just dont attach to it... :)
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    ....That is, if you believe that men really went to the moon and the whole thing wasn't faked.
    Oh my lord, fer goodness' sake, let's not go there! (Oh, that's right - we didn't....):p

    On second thoughts, I'm not getting into that again - I nearly got my head chewed off last time!!

    :eek: :crazy:
  • SherabDorjeSherabDorje
    @meh_: Can you tell us more specifically what you've discovered yet in your search in Buddhist epistemology?
  • zidanguszidangus Veteran
    check out the wiki link

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Earth#Decline_of_the_Flat_Earth_model

    Metta to all sentient beings
  • ZaylZayl Veteran
    I base me opinion on gravity, which makes me conclude that the Earth is in fact, a sphere.
  • VictoriousVictorious Grim Veteran
    I base me opinion on gravity, which makes me conclude that the Earth is in fact, a sphere.
    Interesting! What is the proof then?

  • SherabDorjeSherabDorje
    I base me opinion on gravity, which makes me conclude that the Earth is in fact, a sphere.
    What is gravity?

  • ZaylZayl Veteran
    I base me opinion on gravity, which makes me conclude that the Earth is in fact, a sphere.
    Interesting! What is the proof then?

    That the Earth's gravity draws everything downward, towards its center. I have been high enough to see the Earth's curvature as well. And in a 3 dimensional space such as ours when a free-floating body uses gravity to bind together it almost always takes the shape of a sphere, since gravity exerts equal force on all sides.

  • ShiftPlusOneShiftPlusOne Veteran
    You're right, it's flat, but wrapped around a sphere.

    Well actually, there are plenty of experiments you can do to measure the curvature of the Earth yourself.
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