How do you reconcile curvature with Euclidean geometry... I'll wait..
Login to reply
Replies (2)
First, Euclidean geometry is a mathematical model that applies perfectly to flat surfaces, and itβs useful for small-scale calculations. However, when we deal with large scalesβlike the Earthβwe need to use non-Euclidean geometry (specifically spherical geometry) because the Earth is a three-dimensional object.
The concept of curvature youβre referring to doesnβt contradict Euclidean geometry; instead, it shows the limits of Euclidean geometry when applied to large, spherical objects like planets. Think of how map projections distort continents because a flat map canβt perfectly represent a spherical surface.
In fact, the Earth's curvature has been measured countless times through experiments like:
The Eratosthenes experiment (250 BC), which measured the Earth's circumference using the angle of shadows at two distant locations.
Satellites orbiting the Earth, which require precise knowledge of the Earthβs curvature to function properly.
Airplane flight paths, which use great circle routes, demonstrating how spherical geometry explains the shortest distance between two points on Earth, not Euclidean flat distances.
To claim the Earth is flat by using Euclidean geometry would be like insisting that because a triangle has 180 degrees in Euclidean geometry, it must also have 180 degrees on a spherical surfaceβwhich isnβt true. In spherical geometry, triangles can have more than 180 degrees, and thatβs been empirically verified.
So, the issue isnβt reconciling curvature with Euclidean geometryβitβs that Euclidean geometry isnβt the right tool for the job on a planetary scale. Using it to argue the Earth is flat is like using a ruler to measure the volume of a sphereβitβs the wrong tool for the task.
Special pleading fallacy. Either water has convexity or it doesn't! LOL π