20150805 - Flat Earth Debate - Live Chat Thread

[QuantumMystics]

Michael explains gravity on a disc-shaped planet:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNqNnUJVcVs

He would make a great guest for Art don't think Mr.Vsauce has been on that other guys show yet....this guy would also make great radio...... https://youtu.be/4tiAOldypLk

[aldousburbank]

Ditto. The guy kept saying that this, that or the other has been proven, but he never got a chance to explain the so-called proof (if he actually had any). It would have been very entertaining.

Exactly. I kept waiting for the development of an argument from flat boy (however asinine it was destined to be) but it's like the educated one (we kind of all already get his pov) just couldn't stand to let him complete a sentence. What a wuss. (Maybe I'm harshing cuz I have a headache) but the fact is, you should let the dude dig his hole before you calmly and effortlessly let him fall into it. Taking the time to let out the rope allows gravity to do it's thing. And it's fun. Reverting to reflexive "No you're wrong" blurtings, before the guy is finished explaining to us how wrong he is just draws fuel from the tantric anticipation >deeply satisfying pleasure of being less full of it than tripper boy.

I may be full of it.

[GeorgieForPresident2216]

Exactly. I kept waiting for the development of an argument from flat boy (however asinine it was destined to be) but it's like the educated one (we kind of all already get his pov) just couldn't stand to let him complete a sentence. What a wuss. (Maybe I'm harshing cuz I have a headache) but the fact is, you should let the dude dig his hole before you calmly and effortlessly let him fall into it. Taking the time to let out the rope allows gravity to do it's thing. And it's fun. Reverting to reflexive "No you're wrong" blurtings, before the guy is finished explaining to us how wrong he is just draws fuel from the tantric anticipation >deeply satisfying pleasure of being less full of it than tripper boy.

I may be full of it.

I felt the same way.  Art gave the physicist complete free reign to tromp all over the flat Earther, but disciplined flatist Jon every time he tried to speak.  When I said anything, others told me that was good radio. 

Albeit, Jon did turn out to be quite a douche but I don't blame him for becoming frustrated.

[GeorgieForPresident2216]

Omg I  can't believe I missed this one. I had my device set to record it for me and it didn't work. Sounds like a train wreck of epic proportions.  I did wake up in the middle of the night and hear Hoagland  say that he was only going to talk about it for a couple of minutes and then move on lol. I'm pretty willing to be open minded to varying opinions on varying subjects but the flatter thing is way too few IQ points below my threshold. Someone should've just  called and reminded him about the dude that jumped out of the balloon  A few years back. He had tons of cameras on him  and he went into space where you can see the curvature of the globe. No NASA involved.

Don't worry, that point was made more than once.  Jon said variously it was a fish eye lens and that it was 'perspective' from being in the middle of a flat circle.

[ZomZom]

you should let the dude dig his hole before you calmly and effortlessly let him fall into it. Taking the time to let out the rope allows gravity to do it's thing. And it's fun. Reverting to reflexive "No you're wrong" blurtings, before the guy is finished explaining to us how wrong he is just draws fuel from the tantric anticipation

I need to file this away for future arguments.

[ItsOver]

"Hoagland  say that he was only going to talk about it for a couple of minutes and then move on lol..."

Pretty bad when it's too damn crazy even for Hoagie.

[Dixon Bawls]

Why did nobody mention flying around the spherical planet in their astral body? Sheesh.

[Old Timer]

I mirror your statements.   I can't help but feel this guy just wanted to be contrary to an absolute truth just so his buddies can giggle and tell him how 'awesome' he was on the Art Bell program.  Lot's of thumbs up on Facebook.  Or a possibility could be he's recovering from a meth addiction and found his "belief" as a saving point.  I could go on for the sake of being funny or outrageous, however this guy was plain ignorant.  There is no excuse.  If one truly believes the Earth is flat then they should keep walking until they find the edge...then fall off.

Agree completely. I was a teacher for many, many years, and John reminded me of a couple of students I've encountered. In short, he was a complete self-serving ass, but professional educators do not tell such students that (at least I never did).

The professor was very patient with him -- probably because he has also encountered such students during his years of teaching.

[dan7800]

The professor sounds very smart and I'd like to hear him on again.

The flag earth guy was a nut. The guy who had a kid on Mars was more believable.

[K_Dubb]

Interesting, I wouldn't mind hearing from either of them again individually.  I just don't find debates entertaining, and the inevitable name-calling frankly spoils my smoke. 

Art has always been fantasy-time for me, and flat-earth guy didn't have time to spin out his fantasy -- he said some pretty interesting things, like the the earth is a puddle melted out of the ice by the sun.  Nobody got his dartboard model, which actually addresses their southern-hemisphere distances objection pretty well.  Nor did we learn what might be beyond the ice, under the world, above the sky -- could've been a trip.  Was just too much sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Love Art, will still listen no matter what he does, and since this is where you talk about Art and what he does just putting my two cents in.

[K_Dubb]

You may fire when ready Grindlay.

Goddamn it I have been waiting my whole life to use that quote and you've beaten me to it!  Very well done.

[BobGrau]

Heresy all round. I for one hope Art returns promptly to plausible science, like ghosts and ufos...







...don't make me tag this.

[Lilith]

I enjoyed listening to the Flat Earth guest very much,  GREAT SHOW! IMO.

[Yorkshire pud]

I enjoyed listening to the Flat Earth guest very much,  GREAT SHOW! IMO.

Those who believe such crap are fine on several conditions: They all live together on an island with no communication with the outside world; they're sterilised before they're sent to the island, it's immoral to let their idiotic gene to be passed on; they relinquish all their possessions that can be sold and used for charitable purposes, such as educating kids who otherwise won't get an education; The difference being, those kids won't squander it on trawling the net for conspiracy theories, call it 'work' or 'research' and imagine they have any part in human race after doing so.

[BobGrau]

Those who believe such crap are fine on several conditions: They all live together on an island with no communication with the outside world; they're sterilised before they're sent to the island, it's immoral to let their idiotic gene to be passed on; they relinquish all their possessions that can be sold and used for charitable purposes, such as educating kids who otherwise won't get an education; The difference being, those kids won't squander it on trawling the net for conspiracy theories, call it 'work' or 'research' and imagine they have any part in human race after doing so.

Should the very concept also be purged from Science Fiction books, though? Not to mention History books...

[Yorkshire pud]

Should the very concept also be purged from Science Fiction books, though? Not to mention History books...

When I'm king; I might sign such a decree...we'll see.

[K_Dubb]

Those who believe such crap are fine on several conditions: They all live together on an island with no communication with the outside world; they're sterilised before they're sent to the island, it's immoral to let their idiotic gene to be passed on; they relinquish all their possessions that can be sold and used for charitable purposes, such as educating kids who otherwise won't get an education; The difference being, those kids won't squander it on trawling the net for conspiracy theories, call it 'work' or 'research' and imagine they have any part in human race after doing so.

Yes the Art Bell audience demands scientific rigor 

[ziznak]

I'm gonna try to listen live tonight if i can... this day later ish is rough... i have to read all these posts and THEN i get to hear the show when i get home at like 6-7pm that day AFTER.

[BobGrau]

Should the very concept also be purged from Science Fiction books, though? Not to mention History books...

Note that I seem to be fine with people being rounded up and sterilised, just don't mess with my reading time!

[Willis]

If you want a real Flat Earth debate you need Eric Dubay or Mark Sargent.

[GeorgieForPresident2216]

I'm gonna try to listen live tonight if i can... this day later ish is rough... i have to read all these posts and THEN i get to hear the show when i get home at like 6-7pm that day AFTER.

You're going to read 47 pages of posts?

[Yorkshire pud]

If you want a real Flat Earth debate you need Eric Dubay or Mark Sargent.

Have either bred?

[3OctaveFart]

1 and 1 does not equal 3. John didn't show his work last night, thus gets a failing grade, on the show and probably in life.

[ComeBackArt]

Oh boy. What a trip that was.

A few verbose thoughts -- probably already brought up in the thread, which I didn't/don't have time to read all of, but here goes:

1. Flat Earthers are nuts.

2. Debates that involve whacked out ideas on one side and proven, accepted science on the other give too much credence to the whacked out ideas. It's similar to having a "debate" between a climate scientist and a climate change denier. While I realize MITD is not the BBC or CNN covering climate change, to continue the example, there's still something about giving a Flat Earther equal footing with a PhD scientist that bothers me on some level.

3. Also, unless you risk criminal prosecution over national security for sharing your knowledge, thoughts, etc., please don't hide behind some anonymity. (Wo)Man up and let the world know who you are. Otherwise, as was especially true in this case, you're just a troll.

4. If Art is going to pursue more debate-style shows (something I'm so-so about at best), I think he needs to work on his moderation skills. Last night's debate seemed a little too free flowing and without structure or format. One thing I think Art excels at in his interviews is providing just enough of a reality check to make whack-o guests at least consider how crazy what they're saying is. I think Art could have more forcefully inserted himself into the debate last night.

5. Finally, just saying "With all due respect..." does not give you free rein to be a dick, "Jon".

I still managed to listen to the whole show this morning and found it moderately entertaining, but only in so much as I could cheer on the scientist and imagine myself shaking Jon by his lapels and yelling "Really?!?!?!?!?!?!" in his face. I did enjoy the scientist's thoughts, and I share the sentiments of those who wish to have him back as a guest on the show on his own, which Art indicated was in the works anyway, so...

[Yorkshire pud]

1 and 1 does not equal 3. John didn't show his work last night, thus gets a failing grade, on the show and probably in life.

Work? Really?

[Ms. C]

I'm gonna try to listen live tonight if i can... this day later ish is rough... i have to read all these posts and THEN i get to hear the show when i get home at like 6-7pm that day AFTER.

Yeah, me also!  Being on the Eastern time zone can be a bitch sometimes.   

[3OctaveFart]

 


Work? Really?

He has reasoned himself into a position, however preposterous it is. The burden is on him to defend it and he failed.

Interesting the Boston flat-earther who called on the international line and started off saying he was a higher earner than most of Art's listeners (before AB asked him to call back) ... never called back. Unless he was trolling, too.

This show was some low-lying fruit, but Art probably had better expectations for it. It played like an Ali G skit.

[dan7800]

If there is a flat earth, what happens at the corners. Can you fall off?

[FightTheFuture]

How utterly ridiculous.

Shows like this make me koo koo for Kakuu.

[BobGrau]

If there is a flat earth, what happens at the corners. Can you fall off?

Depends which theory you're going with, it could well be infinite in all directions but the pesky government keeps us going round in circles.