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RE: Rigid thinking - Let's talk Flat Earth and problems with conspiracy theories [What I write may not be what you expect]

I don't know if it's round or flat but what I do know is that they tell us one thing one day and another thing the next day. So I am not sure if I should believe the powers that be or not. I cannot see if the earth is round as it appears completely flat to me but then again I have never been to space so I guess I will have to take them at their word. Lol

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Get up on a high mountain, preferably near a big lake or ocean.

Look.

The earth is not flat QED.

Yes I am 99.9% sure it is a ball floating around in space but my eyes always tell me different. Thanks for the comment and followed.

There are actually ways to see it is not flat. I'll try to find a good youtube video I saw once with just an ordinary guy with some cameras and measurements showing it. I looked for it when making this post, but can't remember the title. I'll see what I can find.

Ok thanks. It would be interesting. I live in northern Alberta and it's very flat but on a clear day I can see the Rocky Mountains which are 4 hours away. I can even see the base of the entrance into Jasper National Park.

Here you go. This guy took a lot of crap from flat earthers for the video. He did not intend to challenge them but they got all know-it-all about this video he released.

Thanks and followed. I will watch it tonight after work. Don't want to get caught watching videos at work! Lol

Definitely don't want to get busted at work! That video is really good, but it is a bit boring unless you really are trying to measure just how ROUND the earth is in your region.

The really funny part was how this guy eventually caved in and responded to all of the flat earthers that challenged the science behind his video on how to measure the roundess of the earth. This one is actually a bit more entertaining because you can see what he is up against.

Oh ya flat earthers can be intense that's forsure. But I guess when you believe in something you have to have follow through. Thanks

That's the one... thanks... I'll edit my original post and add that.

One reason that people find science confusing is that science is just a method for asking how things are. Since that method is only able to provide evidence, never prove anything, and asking new questions refines answer, disproves other guesses, or provides completely new evidence, scientific theories are always changing.

Anybody that says that any scientific question is completely solved is wrong. The truth is that the more you understand about anything, the more questions you can ask about it to find out more. If something matters to you, you can ask questions (test, or experiment), and discover answers yourself.

If you do this, you are a scientist.

You make a valid point. Thanks and followed!

Anybody that says that any scientific question is completely solved is wrong.

Yet when we discuss scientific topics, showing any level of uncertainty (which is always there for anything) opens the door to the idea that since scientists are not 100% certain about a given topic, that they are hiding something and are lying/wrong. This is what irritates me the most about discussing science these days, while no questions are completely solved (as is the nature of evidence driven knowledge acquisition), we (humans) are pretty certain about the validity of the conclusions derived from repeated testing and re-testing of hypotheses.

In short, just because science doesn't completely solve an issue, doesn't mean that the answer that is determined has a lot of wiggle room. In many cases the true answer is likely is exactly as has been determined (or is reasonably close).

It seems to me that these days people apply a bit too much skepticism to things. Should one ask questions? Absolutely. Should one reject evidence determined through repeated experimentation? No. Should everyone continue looking for a better answer, yes but with the knowledge that there may not be one.

Well, look at how Newtonian physics has been supplanted by Relativity. For most purposes the old way still works fine, but there are very minute differences from Newtons theory in observations that Relativity has explained.

While the orbital positions of things is not very different, the ontological conception of the universe is radically and utterly different between the old and new theories.

Also, there are plenty of scientists that do have things to hide. From the lowliest graduate student whose motivation might just be a crush on his adviser, to government agencies concealing $billion liabilities, or creating whole new industries of grants, to push propaganda, politics, corruption, and science are all too friendly.

Skepticism is the basis for science, and certainty is the basis for religion. Every theory we now think is right is wrong. Maybe only a little bit wrong, but maybe the next theory will completely turn things on their heads - again.

Sure we should base our decisions on science and research that we can repeat and verify, but we better also question those who say they did the research, and do it again, particularly for issues that more deeply impact us.

There are no guarantees of better answers, but the answers we have are wrong anyway. To think otherwise is hubris. Do the best we can to know, but at the same time recognize that certainty is the height of folly. Humility is the proper and reasonable companion of skepticism.