Is the Earth Really Spherical Or Flat?

Like many individuals engaged in science communication, I hold a strong fascination for flat earthers. Within this group, we observe a curious phenomenon where people steadfastly reject evidence that is readily apparent. In this discussion, I aim to elaborate on why I believe that flat earthers are not necessarily unintelligent or anti-scientific, at least for the majority among them. More significantly, I want to convey why it's perfectly acceptable if you struggle to recall the evidence supporting the Earth's roundness. However, before delving into these points, it's essential to outline the beliefs held by flat earthers and how they arrived at such conclusions.

The most prevalent flat earth model envisions the Earth as a disk with the North Pole situated at the center and the South Pole forming an ice wall along the disk's perimeter. Yet, this notion isn't universally accepted within the flat earth community. An alternate view, termed the bipolar model, posits that both poles exist on the disk, surrounded by water contained by a rim, potentially composed of ice or rocks. Furthermore, a minority subset of flat earthers maintains that the Earth is an infinite plane. Despite these differences, a common thread among them is the rejection of gravity, attributing phenomena usually associated with gravity to an upward acceleration of the flat Earth. Consequently, they assert that the perceived gravitational force is consistent everywhere on Earth.

I've previously explained that this contention contradicts evidence, as gravitational acceleration isn't uniform across the planet. The concept of upward acceleration causing gravity also gives rise to various issues. For instance, this notion necessitates assuming that the moon and the sun accelerate in tandem with the flat Earth to avoid collisions. This additional assumption weakens the flat Earth hypothesis when compared to models that derive the orbits of celestial bodies from gravitational laws. Furthermore, explaining day-night cycles and lunar phases on a flat Earth requires intricate maneuvers, including shrinking the sun's size and altering its proximity to the Earth. This explanation also requires directional radiation from the sun, introducing numerous ad hoc assumptions. Despite these adjustments, the observed variations in the sun's size throughout the day exceed our observations. Moreover, no successful predictions of solar eclipses or calculations of planetary motions have been achieved within the flat earth framework. In summary, improving upon current scientific understanding is no simple task. The abandonment of the flat earth hypothesis over two millennia ago was well-founded.

Some individuals have suggested that flat earthers may not genuinely believe in a flat Earth but are instead mocking those who trust scientific evidence unquestioningly. To be candid, we all engage in a degree of this behavior occasionally. However, it seems unlikely that all flat earthers are merely pretending. This would necessitate an entire group of exceptional actors, considering the effort and sometimes financial investment they dedicate to their beliefs. This commitment occurs despite the awareness that publicly embracing flat earth views risks casting doubt on their sanity. These factors argue against the notion that they're merely seeking amusement.

You might be tempted to categorize flat earthers as conspiracy theorists, a characterization that applies to some among them. However, I believe it's somewhat unjust to paint the entire group with this brush. Understanding their perspective requires examining the history of the flat earth society, which traces back to Samuel Rowbotham, an Englishman from the 19th century. He was a medical doctor who staunchly believed he had substantiated the flat Earth concept. He spent the remainder of his life lamenting the perceived ignorance of the scientific establishment towards his findings. Rowbotham championed a philosophy he termed "Zeteticism," derived from the Greek word "zeteo," meaning "to seek." This philosophy, still embraced by contemporary flat earthers, asserts that to comprehend nature, one must rely solely on sensory information. For example, the flat earth society's website states: "The world appears flat, cloud undersides seem flat, and the Sun's movement – these instances all exemplify your senses conveying that we do not inhabit a spherical heliocentric world." This approach aligns with empiricism, drawing from personal sensory experiences as a means of understanding the world.

Understanding the crux of the issue with flat earthers lies in their insistence on relying exclusively on personal sensory evidence. This principle will be explored further later on. To provide context, let's delve into the remaining history of their movement. Following Samuel Rowbotham's passing in 1884, the flat earth concept was carried forward by another Briton, Samuel Shenton. He once told a journalist, "No one comprehends the ultimate shape of the Earth, but the portion we inhabit is undoubtedly flat. The broader complexity likely remains beyond personal observation, investigation, and comprehension." Here again, there's a focus on personally collected evidence. In 1954, Shenton established the International Flat Earth Society, but it garnered limited attention. He passed away in 1971, and the leadership of the Flat Earth Society was assumed by American Charles Johnson. Despite the rise of the internet, flat earthers remained relatively obscure. Johnson's death in 2001 coincided with the society having around 3500 members. The mantle then shifted to another American, Daniel Shenton, unrelated to the earlier Shenton, but aligned in reasoning. He remarked in a 2010 interview with The Guardian, "I don't believe there's concrete proof. I'm not deliberately obstinate, but our senses provide these perceptions, and it would require an exceedingly high level of evidence to counteract them. How many individuals have genuinely examined it? Have you?" Shenton conceived the idea of creating a wiki page for the flat earth community, yet interest remained minimal. However, the pivotal shift occurred in 2016 when fervent flat earthers uploaded videos on YouTube, significantly bolstering their movement and recruiting new adherents. These videos have since garnered millions of views, leading to consequential outcomes. In a 2018 United States poll, two percent of respondents claimed belief in a flat Earth, with an additional 7 percent expressing uncertainty. While precise statistics are elusive, it's now likely that over ten thousand individuals in the developed world dispute scientific principles established since the Middle Ages. Ponder that for a moment. How does someone arrive at rejecting a scientifically established fact like the Earth's roundness? This isn't a singular cause. Certain flat earthers find the concept attractive for religious reasons, while others belong to the faction that doubts NASA, considers space as fabricated, and questions the moon landing's authenticity. However, predominantly, their skepticism stems from their perception of rationality. They haven't personally proven the Earth's roundness and therefore believe they are only being reasonable by demanding evidence.