this post was submitted on 16 May 2024
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[–] [email protected] -1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

No, the possibility still exists because the current academic community continues to exist even into the future, where a breakthrough is possible. At the very least you are being pedantic.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

An appropriate level of pedantry, I think. You asked for everyone for their opinion, it hardly seems appropriate for you to call me pedantic for providing just that.

It also feels like maybe you didn't pick up what I was putting down, because the "breakthrough" scenario is irrelevant. The important part is: did science already accept X as true (read: highly probable) at the time that a person decided they believe X is false? Because to me, that's what makes someone "look like a flat earther". But I can't fault someone for not being convinced by some evidence, and choosing instead to stick with (what they believe to be) a null hypothesis.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

You're using too strict a definition of what makes a flat earther. Flat eathers are characterized by many different things but their defining feature is their refusal accept evidence that disproves their belief. My phrasing does not disclude this interpretation.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

And see, I think that's too broad, because literally everyone is guilty of holding onto a belief that they formed before they had enough information, however small.

Have you ever driven one route from point A to B, but taken a completely different route from B to A, both directions believing you are taking the fastest route? Maybe it's doublethink, maybe we just got in a habit and never reconciled the conflicting beliefs, or maybe we think the evidence we've been presented with is not a representative sample of reality. Maybe a map shows one route to be obviously faster both ways, but you think "well once you factor in the lights, and the number of turns, and the traffic at the times of day I take each route, it makes sense to take different routes each way. These are hard to account for on a map, and how I do it feels shorter, so I'm going to keep doing what I think is best regardless of what this data says."

To me, the "defining feature" of a flat earther is accepting a false belief after it's been amply demonstrated to you to be false. It's not something you didn't have enough evidence about, but now you do, it's something you had overwhelming evidence for, but reject it all. That is not something we all do every day, that is potentially delusional behavior.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

To me, the β€œdefining feature” of a flat earther is accepting a false belief after it’s been amply demonstrated to you to be false.

This is still covered by my phrasing.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Yes. I'm saying my definition is a stricter subset of your definition, and that your definition is too broad because it includes literally everyone.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

And I'm saying your definition is covered by my phrasing.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

We are in agreement. But if you still don't agree with me, I don't think that makes you look like a flat earther. Cheers, gotta go make dinner!

[–] [email protected] -3 points 5 months ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

Awful kind of you to offer, but I found my own food ;)

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

This makes you look like a flat earther.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

No, you have resorted to ad hominin attacks in your discussion of flat earthers, which is a very flat earth thing to do. If your logic and ideas are insufficient to win people to your perspective personal attacks are a weak substitute.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

You resorted to ad homien first you bridge dweller.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

Does a bridge dweller live on the bridge, in the bridge, or under the bridge?