This essay tries to shed some light on the origins and the appeal of the flat earth theory It shows, that the origins can be traced back at least until Ancient Greece.
While a spherical model of the earth might seem like an axiom to many, there is a growing community of people who refuse to believe this seemingly basic fact of human life. Those, who do not consider the evidence of a spherical earth to be credible, believe in the so-called flat earth theory. The assumed shapes of the earth circulating within the community are as manifold as the believers themselves. Some assume the earth to be a square, a triangle or even just an infinite plane in all directions. While there is no clear consensus about the earths “true shape” among the members of this community, the most popular assumed shape of the earth would be a disc shaped one. The edges of the disc are often envisioned to be surrounded by a wall of ice or by a shape similar to a snow globe, which to them explains why nothing and no one has ever fallen from the edge of the earth. In addition to the basic flat shape of the earth, some followers of this theory also believe in a plethora of other conspiracy myths. According to one of said narratives, the Nazis were assisted by aliens when fleeing to Antarctica after the Second World War in order to avoid trial.
At a first glance there is no logical relation between a non-spherical earth and a geocentric model of the universe However, to rationalize the existence of night and day most believers of the flat earth theory also assume the sun moving around the earths North Pole, creating a spotlight that illuminates different regions of the earth at different times . In addition to the sun's altered course around the earth, the US model of a flat earth also suggests that the stars are located in a dome above the sun and moon, which they believe are at a distance of 5500 km from the earth. The general description modern believers of the flat earth theory use is very similar to the many theories present throughout history, which makes investigating the historical roots of the modern day conspiracy even more important.
Table of Contents
1. What is the Flat Earth Theory?
2. Greece - The discovery of a spherical earth
3. The Bible - A flat earth book?
4. The Middle Ages - A time of regression?
5. Columbus - A rebellious explorer or a modern myth?
6. Modern Flat Earth believers - Returning to the Bible’s teachings
7. The role of the internet - A new wave of Flat Earth believers
8. A tale as old as time - What does the future hold for believers of the flat earth theory?
Research Objectives and Themes
The paper examines the historical and contemporary persistence of the Flat Earth theory, analyzing how it has evolved from ancient cosmological interpretations to a modern conspiracy movement fueled by distrust in scientific institutions and religious literalism.
- Evolution of the Earth's shape in historical and religious context.
- The role of the Bible in fostering non-spherical Earth narratives.
- Myth-busting historical misconceptions regarding the Middle Ages and Christopher Columbus.
- Psychological mechanisms, such as confirmation bias and the stereotype content model, in conspiracy communities.
- The impact of digital platforms and algorithms on the spread of pseudoscientific beliefs.
Excerpt from the Book
7. The role of the internet - A new wave of Flat Earth believers
Along with the relaunch of the flat earth society in 2009 came a website that combined a forum for members to discuss and a wiki to explain the theory to the sites visitors. Upon first entering the forum there is a link to a site that tries to give an answer to all the frequently asked questions. When trying to find a valuable text excerpt to analyze for this project it seemed more reliable to look at the official explanations than to just study the opinions of singular authors in the forum.
Upon looking through all the FAQs it becomes apparent that most people visiting the site are rather skeptic regarding the flat earth theory and are looking for the flat earth societies take on different phenomena. The excerpt that will be analyzed was posted under the question: “People have been into space. How have they not discovered that the Earth is flat?”.
The most commonly accepted explanation of this is that the space agencies of the world are involved in a conspiracy faking space travel and exploration. This likely began during the Cold War's 'Space Race', in which the USSR and USA were obsessed with beating each other into space to the point that each faked their accomplishments in an attempt to keep pace with the other's supposed achievements. Since the end of the Cold War, however, the conspiracy is most likely motivated by greed rather than political gains, and using only some of their funding to continue to fake space travel saves a lot of money to embezzle for themselves. - (“Frequently asked questions”)
Chapter Summaries
1. What is the Flat Earth Theory?: This chapter defines the core beliefs of the Flat Earth community, highlighting the variety of proposed shapes and the integration of conspiracy myths.
2. Greece - The discovery of a spherical earth: It outlines the early historical debates on the Earth's shape, contrasting ancient non-spherical models with the empirical evidence for a globe presented by Greek scholars.
3. The Bible - A flat earth book?: This section explores how biblical literalism and specific scripture interpretations are used to support the conceptualization of a flat Earth.
4. The Middle Ages - A time of regression?: It refutes the narrative that scientific knowledge of a spherical Earth was lost during the Middle Ages, emphasizing the role of geography in liberal arts education.
5. Columbus - A rebellious explorer or a modern myth?: The chapter deconstructs the legend of Columbus as a victim of anti-intellectualism, clarifying that his contemporaries were not concerned with him falling off the Earth's edge.
6. Modern Flat Earth believers - Returning to the Bible’s teachings: This chapter chronicles the rise of Samuel Rowbotham and the revival of Flat Earth societies in the 20th century, contextualized by the tension between space exploration and biblical literalism.
7. The role of the internet - A new wave of Flat Earth believers: It analyzes how digital forums, wikis, and social media algorithms facilitate the growth of conspiracy communities and foster distrust in established scientific institutions.
8. A tale as old as time - What does the future hold for believers of the flat earth theory?: This concluding chapter discusses the psychological drivers behind the persistence of these theories and warns against the societal implications of increasing scientific skepticism.
Keywords
Flat Earth Theory, Conspiracy Theories, Bible Literalism, Spherical Earth, Historical Myths, Samuel Rowbotham, Space Race, Confirmation Bias, Stereotype Content Model, Internet Algorithms, Scientific Distrust, Geography, Ancient Greece, Astronomy, Media Literacy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The paper explores the historical origins, religious justifications, and modern digital proliferation of the Flat Earth theory, examining why this belief persists despite scientific evidence.
What are the main thematic areas covered?
Key themes include the interpretation of biblical texts regarding Earth's shape, the correction of historical misconceptions about the Middle Ages and Columbus, and the psychological and sociological factors—like institutional distrust—that drive modern conspiracy thinking.
What is the central research question?
The research investigates how the Flat Earth theory has survived centuries of scientific advancement and what role the current digital information landscape plays in its continued relevance.
What research methods are employed?
The paper utilizes a literature-based approach, analyzing historical accounts, religious texts, and content from the official Flat Earth Society website to identify patterns in rhetoric and evidence evaluation.
What is discussed in the main body?
The body chapters detail the chronological evolution of the theory, from Ancient Greek observations through medieval scholasticism to the influence of 19th-century movements and the modern internet era.
Which keywords characterize this study?
Key terms include Flat Earth, conspiracy theories, confirmation bias, scientific distrust, biblical literalism, and digital information ecosystems.
How does the stereotype content model explain Flat Earth beliefs?
The model suggests that members of these communities perceive scientific institutions like NASA as having high competence but low warmth, leading them to suspect these agencies of plotting against the public.
What is the significance of the "Zetetic" approach mentioned?
The Zetetic approach, associated with Samuel Rowbotham, emphasizes seeking and personal experimentation over accepting established scientific consensus, which remains a cornerstone of the modern Flat Earth movement.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2021, The flat earth theory. A tale as old as time, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1128926
