Flat Earth: Historical Perspectives and Modern Beliefs

Overview

• The concept of a flat Earth refers to the outdated belief that Earth is flat, often visualized as a plane or disk.
• Ancient civilizations, especially in the Near East, commonly held this view.
• The spherical Earth model emerged from ancient Greek philosophy and gained traction with philosophers like Pythagoras, Plato, and Aristotle.
• Despite scientific disproval, flat Earth theories have re-emerged in modern times as conspiracy theories.

Historical Development

Ancient Civilizations

• Near East:
  • Egyptian and Mesopotamian cultures depicted the world as a disk floating in water.
  • The Israelites imagined Earth as a disc under a solid sky dome.
• Greece:
  • Poets like Homer described the Earth as a flat disk in their works.
  • Philosophers such as Thales and Anaximander had varying beliefs about Earth's shape, with some imagining it as flat or cylindrical.
• Northern Europe:
  • Norse mythology included a flat Earth surrounded by ocean, with Yggdrasil at the center.
• East Asia:
  • Ancient China believed in a flat, square Earth under a round sky.
  • Notable Chinese scholars like Zhang Heng used the egg analogy to explain the heavens.

Spherical Earth in Ancient Greece

• Pythagoras and Parmenides advocated a spherical Earth in the 6th and 5th centuries BC.
• Aristotle, by 330 BC, provided empirical evidence supporting a spherical Earth.
• Eratosthenes calculated Earth's circumference around 240 BC.

Alternate Theories

• South Asia:
  • Vedic texts depicted Earth in different ways, with some cosmologies considering it flat.
  • By 5th century AD, Indian astronomy texts like Aryabhata's described a spherical Earth.
• Early Christian Church:
  • Predominantly accepted a spherical Earth with a few exceptions like Lactantius.
  • Saint Augustine debated the existence of antipodes.

Middle Ages Perceptions

• Europe (Early Middle Ages):
  • Despite the fall of the Western Roman Empire, some knowledge of Earth's sphericity was preserved.
  • Works like Isidore of Seville's suggested diverse views but often referred to Earth's roundness.
• Europe (High and Late Middle Ages):
  • Spherical Earth views were taught in medieval universities, supported by scholars like Thomas Aquinas.
  • Portuguese explorations and Magellan's circumnavigation reinforced Earth's sphericity.

Islamic and Chinese Perspectives

• Islamic Scholars:
  • Initially, many Muslims adopted a flat Earth view, but Greek cosmology later influenced a spherical perspective.
• Ming Dynasty China:
  • Knowledge of a spherical Earth spread in the 17th century due to Jesuit influence.

Myth of Medieval Flat Earth

• The belief that medieval Europeans thought Earth was flat is a myth, popularized in the 19th century.
• Most scholars during the Middle Ages acknowledged Earth's spherical shape.

Modern Flat Earth Beliefs

• The resurgence of flat Earth beliefs in the modern era is fueled by conspiracy theories and social media.
• Organizations like the Flat Earth Society promote these views despite overwhelming scientific evidence.

Conclusion

• While historical perspectives on Earth's shape have varied, the spherical model is scientifically validated.
• The persistence of flat Earth beliefs highlights the influence of cultural narratives and misinformation.