Something for the members wearing tinfoil hats

[masterpoonhunter]

https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics/earth-curvatureThere are many similar found with our friend Google. Who can find multiples of the flat earthers, anti vaxers, etc arguments.

This chap here did the math and uses some good examples.
https://www.davidsenesac.com/Inform... Earth has a radius,inches per mile (squared).

The problem though is that the flat-earther etc is so ensconced in their beliefs that they will refuse to "do the math".
Oh well ...

 

[MB Mod]

https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics/earth-curvatureThere are many similar found with our friend Google. Who can find multiples of the flat earthers, anti vaxers, etc arguments.

This chap here did the math and uses some good examples.
https://www.davidsenesac.com/Inform... Earth has a radius,inches per mile (squared).

The problem though is that the flat-earther etc is so ensconced in their beliefs that they will refuse to "do the math".
Oh well ...

You don’t even have to do the math there are tens of thousands of pictures of planets and dwarf planets, soon we’ll be imaging exoplanets and they all have one thing in common, there not flat!

 

[masterblaster]

I’ve never been there, perhaps some day, but I have heard you can discern the curvature of the earth at Bonneville salt flats.

 

[JimDandy]

Back around 1977 I went to talk at my unversity from someone promoting the flat earth society. I interpreted it as a philosophical mechanism of some type and that they did not actually believe that the earth was flat. This was punctuated by their humerous motto - "We believe in terra firma - the more firma, the less terrer" which I somehow remember more than 40 years later. Somewhere this philosophical vehicle morphed into a group of crazy people that actually believe the earth is flat. Rather sad really.

JD

 

[Uncled]

Here's a link to the ultimate cheat sheet for critical learning. It should be posted in every classroom, loaded at the splash screen on every school computer, or online learning tool. It should be taught as a skill set from the earliest possible age along with the three R's.
https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/452492/critical-thinking-cheatsheet-tmb.png

But that critical thinking cheat sheet is way to complicated. It hurts my brain.

I want simple solutions and explanations to complex problems.

 

[westwoody]

The problem is that critical thinking and problem solving is not really taught in school, it's something that students learn (mostly unknowingly) through osmosis as they work their way through the education system.
It's never actually taught as a class, at least not in the k to 12 education system.

When I was in high school in the 70s way too much time was just mindless memorisation of facts, with little frame of reference.
In university I had a chem prof who had worked at Esso and a math prof who had worked at Nortel. Both gave real life examples of what they were teaching and it was amazing. I hated school but loved university, it was so different.

Not sure about current curriculums. The standard of teacher has gone way up though. I have two nieces who are elementary teachers, both have Masters' and are real smart.
When I was in grade 9 I had a math teacher who had gone to school with my brother. My brother told me the guy had failed math, so naturally I had to tell everyone. Did not go over well.

 

[masterblaster]

Have never heard a flat earther give an explanation why the North Star can’t be seen from Australia or why we in North America can’t see the southern cross constellation.

 

[PuntMeister]

I do not suffer fools gladly and while I find flat earthers and conspiracy theorists in general quite laughable I also find it reprehensible that our education system allows for this type of though to arise in the first place.

The problem is that critical thinking and problem solving is not really taught in school, it's something that students learn (mostly unknowingly) through osmosis as they work their way through the education system.
It's never actually taught as a class, at least not in the k to 12 education system.

The problem with that is at the end of the day some students come out of our education system without having these skills and end up being ceptable to these crackpot ideas.

Here's a link to the ultimate cheat sheet for critical learning. It should be posted in every classroom, loaded at the splash screen on every school computer, or online learning tool. It should be taught as a skill set from the earliest possible age along with the three R's.
https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/452492/critical-thinking-cheatsheet-tmb.png
The Global Digital Citizen Foundation is an organization that is trying to correct this. Anyone with school age kids in their family should have those kids spend some time at this site.

https://globaldigitalcitizen.org

This is worthy of a thread on its own, unrelated to tinfoil hats.

...Appreciative Inquiry
...Objectivity
...Critical Thinking
...Best Practices in Problem Solving

Remarkably not well known, understood, taught, or practiced. Much of societal malades follow.

 

[masterblaster]

This is worthy of a thread on its own, unrelated to tinfoil hats.

...Appreciative Inquiry
...Objectivity
...Critical Thinking
...Best Practices in Problem Solving

Remarkably not well known, understood, taught, or practiced. Much of societal malades follow.

Lack of critical thinking ability explains to a large degree why so many people voted for trump.

 

[GeeBeeP]

I'll add "follow the money" to the list of best practices for education.

There's always a motive behind this kind of nonsense. Misinformation and disruption is the most common these days (see Russian election interference as exhibit one) but I bet someone is making a profit from the flat earth stuff. I'm guessing the guy who organised the sailing trip to the edge of the world giggled all the way to the bank. Where there is a sucker, someone will be quite willing to relieve him of his money.

 

[BDB9IN]

But that critical thinking cheat sheet is way to complicated. It hurts my brain.

I want simple solutions and explanations to complex problems.

You've hit the nail on the head.
The whole reason flat Earthers think what they do is they are looking for simple explanations for problems they don't understand.

 

[westwoody]

someone is making a profit from the flat earth stuff

A friend pointed out many of the YouTube conspiracy theorists have hundreds of thousands of followers. Millions of page views.
Making more insane claims brings in more viewers and keeps them coming back.
Same with their sites. An anti fluoride campaigner has a site covered in ads and asks for donations as well.
Q is really a massive clickbait scheme.

There have been a few good articles about Q as a massive LARPG with their followers unknowingly filling in roles.

 

[uncleg]

 

[masterblaster]

I remember a while back the flat earther that went up in his home made rocket to prove his assertation. The rocket regrettably failed and he made a large hole in the Mojave desert. I assume on the way down he was convinced of the existence of gravity at least which the flat earthers don’t really subscribe to.

 

[Futurebillionaire]

pretty easy to google for IFL man brings level .....
https://iflscience.com/environment/man-brings-a-spirit-level-onto-plane
As a man of science I have to wonder how these types perceive the world around them. All of the conspiracy types no matter the 'cause'. Is it a blip in logic? The easier thing to believe? Cognitive dissonance? Belief in false prophets?
???

All of the above

 

[Futurebillionaire]

I do not suffer fools gladly and while I find flat earthers and conspiracy theorists in general quite laughable I also find it reprehensible that our education system allows for this type of though to arise in the first place.

The problem is that critical thinking and problem solving is not really taught in school, it's something that students learn (mostly unknowingly) through osmosis as they work their way through the education system.
It's never actually taught as a class, at least not in the k to 12 education system.

The problem with that is at the end of the day some students come out of our education system without having these skills and end up being ceptable to these crackpot ideas.

Here's a link to the ultimate cheat sheet for critical learning. It should be posted in every classroom, loaded at the splash screen on every school computer, or online learning tool. It should be taught as a skill set from the earliest possible age along with the three R's.
https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/452492/critical-thinking-cheatsheet-tmb.png
The Global Digital Citizen Foundation is an organization that is trying to correct this. Anyone with school age kids in their family should have those kids spend some time at this site.

https://globaldigitalcitizen.org

That cheat sheet is too simple and could use some improvement but it is acceptable nonetheless

 

[take8easy]

Only thing the Flat Earthers have to fear is sphere itself.

But don't worry about them people, flat earthers will come around eventually.

Actually they are about to change their theory now. They are claiming that since their followers all in corners of the world, the earth must be shaped like a square/rectangle shaped plate.

I think earth is very sexy because it has curves.


https://www.boredpanda.com/flat-ear...oogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

 

[Futurebillionaire]

A group I read about a while back was of the belief that humanity should self terminate. Mostly because they viewed humans as destructive to the earth ...

Because Big Rock and oblivious rabbits > intelligent life with the ability to enjoy it's existence in great comfort ..... ?? or something ... ?? Idk

There is no cold indifferent logic that one can apply to reach these kinds of people. There is an emotional connection that they have to their ideology

You must show them the Earth. I'm surprised no billionaire hasn't made the decision to fly one of these peoples leaders to the ISS or something I certainly would if I could

The best thing to do when dealing with these types is not to use logic. It is better to simply ask why they are so emotionally invested in claims which cannot be verified

Human cognition can be strange at times, to say the least

 

[BDB9IN]

A group I read about a while back was of the belief that humanity should self terminate. Mostly because they viewed humans as destructive to the earth ...

Because Big Rock and oblivious rabbits > intelligent life with the ability to enjoy it's existence in great comfort ..... ?? or something ... ?? Idk

There is no cold indifferent logic that one can apply to reach these kinds of people. There is an emotional connection that they have to their ideology

You must show them the Earth. I'm surprised no billionaire hasn't made the decision to fly one of these peoples leaders to the ISS or something I certainly would if I could

Human cognition can be strange at times, to say the least

My thoughts exactly.
Once Elon Musk gets Starship up and running he should offer the first ride to 100 of the top flat earthers on social media and the entire flight is streamed live. If the starship happens to explode upon landing, no great loss.

We can consider them expendable fodder for the furherment of human spaceflight

 

[SeekSteadyRegSP]

Normally it happens during 1st grade when they learn about the moon not being a dish in the sky

Does this happen when they separate a cow jumping over the moon and a dish running away with a spoon ?