Flat Earth Theory's popularity is due to a misapplication of logic

It's simply people's confusion about deductive and inductive reasoning.

Deduction
Deduction: In the process of deduction, you begin with some statements, called 'premises', that are assumed to be true, you then determine what else would have to be true if the premises are true.

Induction
Induction: In the process of induction, you begin with some data, and then determine what general conclusion(s) can logically be derived from those data.
ocw.usu.edu...

All flat Earth arguments rely on inductive reasoning. Most who believe in the Flat Earth Theory want to pretend they have 'proof' that they're right. Here's the problem:

You can never prove anything is true using inductive reasoning.

I wish that were taught to everyone growing up but it isn't. I remember one of my university professors being shocked that her students didn't know the difference between deductive reasoning and inductive reasoning. I didn't understand it either at that time. I even took a university course in logic and it was all about deductive logic, not a word about inductive logic.

Parents, please teach your children about deductive and inductive reasoning. I don't know how or why it's missed so often but it's crucial...

You don't want your children to become Flat Earthers, do you?

a reply to: Profusion


Even simpler: people who believe in Flat Earth Theory are idiots.

It is more than that. Granted reasoning is one attribute but the rest has to do with trust. They don't trust traditional sources of information. This causes them to discard reasonable explanations and left with nothing else they latch on to these contrarian beliefs because of the lack of support or unpopularity of it. To them mainstream support = wrong. Therefore no mainstream support = right. There are other aspects to it. One being that the FE eliminates any random events in cosmology therefore it proves to them that there is a creator and a purpose.

I put it down to a combination of YouTube, Facebook, a lack of education, lateral thinking and deductive reasoning.

If you meet anyone that believes in flat Earth theory, ask them "where is the edge?".

a reply to: Vector99

They will tell you in Antarctica, the powers that be forbid regular people to go there blah blah blah...

Flatearthers are not really idiots, they are just super trolls that try very very hard to see if an idiot fall for it

I think bob the rapper though "I bet my fans are so into me that if I say the earth is flat they will start to think the earth is flash, ima baby Jesus boy" or something like that, but they know earth is not flat.

The only people who believe in a flat earth are religious fundamentalists... And conspiracy theorists who have been into conspiracy waaaay to long... These are the people that actually believe everything is a conspiracy

And honestly... who cares what any of these people think or believe?

a reply to: Indigent

then ask why is there only ONE edge to the flat earth

a reply to: Vector99

They say Antarctica is a disc surrounding the world... And of course they will say haaaaveee yoouuu walked from side to side yourself


These are people that deny space photos after all.

Trolls

originally posted by: Indigent
a reply to: Vector99
And of course they will say haaaaveee yoouuu walked from side to side yourself

I would return the troll by saying that I have.

IMO there is more to this ...sure now this "movement" has many religious people in it but I think it got started as a psy-ops to discredit the therm "conspiracy" even more.

I think some of the arguments arent even that bad (NASA faking pictures, Admiral Byrd, etc.) but this is mostly because they were used before in other context of other conspiracy theories. In the end this will be the final nail in the coffin for these arguments ...I really REALLY dont like flat earthers.

a reply to: Whatever08152

I agree on the psy-op aspect for the current prevalence. The videos and such began to start hitting the web around the same time. I have also noticed that a bunch of the main proponents have claimed to have been educated at Jesuit schools. Its the only link I have noticed but may be nothing. You make a really good point I haven't seen anywhere else as well. You mention how much of their "proofs" are taken from other conspiracy theories. This is a great point for understanding how they can draw in people.

a reply to: Profusion

I don't think it is simple as that .. with this flat earth thing guys

I just say it how I think it works

Ok let's say flat earth person comes to ATS

Gets involved with one person (whether they believe it or not)

Next step is to build a rapor with a targeted individual ( they would pick someone they know a lot of personal information about)

the idea is (I think)

"Capture their minds
and their hearts and souls
will follow"

Then I will add

It's a war on a mind not the idea itself


Next thing that comes to mind is

How could Hitler (one person gain such momentum)

One of his Signiture quotes : "I hate to disappoint"

The Earth isn't flat.

It is a series of zoned instances.

If you have trouble seeing things far away, please adjust your LOD by buying a pair of glasses, or get a long lasting Lasik buff from a local vendor.

meh...

The world isn't flat, or round. It is Relative.

a reply to: Volund

My reply is not to you just using your sentence it's a good one

Definition of relative
adjective
1.
considered in relation or in proportion to something else.

So I would say it is not about something else (there are infinite alternatives to something else)

I would say it is about the person who gets to say what the something else is

No point disputing the argument itself

More like pay attention to the person addressing you

Thinking out loud

Actually to add

Imagine ok Lady Gaga(?) suddenly saying to 12 year old fans this and the parents saying opposite
You can imagine teenagers like "you parents" know better

And it's happening

a reply to: Sessionexpired

Ok now I would say imagine adding that topic or trying that tactic to play this out :

With a serious topic anything from Politics threw conspiracy to basic human rights

"But it's all relative" so why not re- examine your whole existence

What would that make you? A follower?

I just find it interesting sorry

originally posted by: Profusion
It's simply people's confusion about deductive and inductive reasoning.

Deduction
Deduction: In the process of deduction, you begin with some statements, called 'premises', that are assumed to be true, you then determine what else would have to be true if the premises are true.

Induction
Induction: In the process of induction, you begin with some data, and then determine what general conclusion(s) can logically be derived from those data.
ocw.usu.edu...

All flat Earth arguments rely on inductive reasoning. Most who believe in the Flat Earth Theory want to pretend they have 'proof' that they're right. Here's the problem:

You can never prove anything is true using inductive reasoning.

I wish that were taught to everyone growing up but it isn't. I remember one of my university professors being shocked that her students didn't know the difference between deductive reasoning and inductive reasoning. I didn't understand it either at that time. I even took a university course in logic and it was all about deductive logic, not a word about inductive logic.

Parents, please teach your children about deductive and inductive reasoning. I don't know how or why it's missed so often but it's crucial...

You don't want your children to become Flat Earthers, do you?

Deduction : proving

Induction : assuming ?

originally posted by: LostWoods

originally posted by: Profusion
It's simply people's confusion about deductive and inductive reasoning.

Deduction
Deduction: In the process of deduction, you begin with some statements, called 'premises', that are assumed to be true, you then determine what else would have to be true if the premises are true.

Induction
Induction: In the process of induction, you begin with some data, and then determine what general conclusion(s) can logically be derived from those data.
ocw.usu.edu...

All flat Earth arguments rely on inductive reasoning. Most who believe in the Flat Earth Theory want to pretend they have 'proof' that they're right. Here's the problem:

You can never prove anything is true using inductive reasoning.

I wish that were taught to everyone growing up but it isn't. I remember one of my university professors being shocked that her students didn't know the difference between deductive reasoning and inductive reasoning. I didn't understand it either at that time. I even took a university course in logic and it was all about deductive logic, not a word about inductive logic.

Parents, please teach your children about deductive and inductive reasoning. I don't know how or why it's missed so often but it's crucial...

You don't want your children to become Flat Earthers, do you?

Deduction : proving

Induction : assuming ?

When it comes to reasoning they both are conclusive. Deductive means to remove doubt, inductive means to prove methodically.

I think you would struggle to find more than a few thousand people who believe in flat earth theories though, no? So they're not exactly popular.

a reply to: Whatever08152

the " NASA lies " argument is absolutly attrocious - NASA was founded in 1958 . jean picard calculated the diameter of the earth to an error of 0,44% in 1670

his measurment was =

6328.9km - radius

the currently used value - calculated from laser and radar plots ;

6,371 km

so distrust of NASA real or imagined = utterly irrelevant

next - admiral byrd

flat earth hoaxes like to cite byrd - but cannot provide any primary sources for what they alledge he said

so - also irrelevant

next ? [ cos i know the goal posts will move - they always do ]