Changes

The '''Flat Earth''' idea is a primitive concept of the earth as a [[plane (geometry)|plane]] or a large circle. <ref> "Among various rude tribes we find survivals of a primitive idea that the earth is a flat table or disk, ceiled, domed, or canopied by the sky, and that the sky rests upon the mountains as pillars." </ref>

The '''Flat Earth''' idea is a primitive concept of the [[earth]] as a [[plane (geometry)|plane]] or a large circle. <ref>"Among various rude tribes we find survivals of a primitive idea that the earth is a flat table or disk, ceiled, domed, or canopied by the sky, and that the sky rests upon the mountains as pillars." </ref>

The ancient Greeks knew that the Earth was spherical. Aristotle gave some convincing arguments for the spherical Earth, including ships sailing over the horizon and lunar eclipses showing the Earth's shadow. Eratosthenes used geometry and a hired pace man to estimate its circumference to within a few percent. <ref> "Eratosthenes concluded the Earth to be 40,000 kilometers in circumference, or approximately 25,000 miles. Within a few percentage points, this is correct.." [http://www.sterlinghousepublisher.com/remote%20pages/excerpts/Pages%20from%20Sum%20of%20Existence.pdf The Sum of Existence], by A.R. Barnes, Jr. </ref>

The [[ancient Greece|ancient Greeks]] knew that the Earth was spherical. [[Aristotle]] gave some convincing arguments for the spherical Earth, including ships sailing over the horizon and [[lunar eclipse]]s showing the Earth's shadow. Eratosthenes used [[geometry]] and a hired pace man to estimate its circumference to within a few percent. <ref> "Eratosthenes concluded the Earth to be 40,000 kilometers in circumference, or approximately 25,000 miles. Within a few percentage points, this is correct.." [http://www.sterlinghousepublisher.com/remote%20pages/excerpts/Pages%20from%20Sum%20of%20Existence.pdf The Sum of Existence], by A.R. Barnes, Jr. </ref>

Medieval Europeans knew this, and had correctly warned Columbus that he would never get to India with his limited supplies. Columbus relied on a fallacious argument that the Earth was much smaller than the Greeks estimated.

Medieval [[Europe]]ans knew this, and had correctly warned [[Christopher Columbus]] that he would never get to India with his limited supplies. Columbus relied on a fallacious argument that the Earth was much smaller than the Greeks estimated.

Some writers have presented the mistaken idea that medieval Europeans used a literal reading of the Bible to conclude that the [[Earth]] was flat. <ref> 'In the time of Columbus, did educated Christians believe the earth was flat?  The correct answer is NO, but most modern people will say YES.  Why?  This wrong idea is due to a fascinating abuse of history that began around 1830 when two writers (a sloppy novelist and an atheist scholar) invented a false story about "belief in a flat earth" that, in the 1870s, was popularized by Draper.' [http://www.asa3.org/ASA/education/origins/twobooks.htm (Craig Rusbult)] </ref>

Some writers have presented the mistaken idea that medieval Europeans used a literal reading of the Bible to conclude that the [[Earth]] was flat. <ref> 'In the time of Columbus, did educated Christians believe the earth was flat?  The correct answer is NO, but most modern people will say YES.  Why?  This wrong idea is due to a fascinating abuse of history that began around 1830 when two writers (a sloppy novelist and an atheist scholar) invented a false story about "belief in a flat earth" that, in the 1870s, was popularized by Draper.' [http://www.asa3.org/ASA/education/origins/twobooks.htm (Craig Rusbult)] </ref>