[gizmo910]

According to the wiki, the Flat Earth theory is favoured by Occam's Razor. The bullet points it makes shows that the page was written with bias (duh!).

I present the counter presentation, allowing all to formulate their own conclusion from the information. My data set shall have the same burden of proof as the wiki.

Regarding gravity: which assumes less: The "plane earth" is accelerating upwards at 9.8 m/s/s by an unknown, unending force; or a "round earth" constrained by a hypothetical construct that seems to apply to observed celestial objects?

Regarding the space hoax: which assumes less: NASA is a government body that, working with *all* government bodies, has perpetuated a space hoax; or NASA, as well as other space organizations, through extensive trial-and-error, has managed to launch terrestrial objects into space.

Regarding Solar movement: which assumes less: A Sun, 31-miles across, 3000 miles high, is traveling on a predetermined path by an unknown force, held in the sky by an equally unknown force; or the earth rotates at a given speed, causing a miniscule observer on the surface to witness a "setting/rising" sun.

Regarding space: which assumes less: all the celestial bodies are stationary, or are set to travel a predetermined path, by an unknown force, being held in the sky by an equally unknown force; or there is a whole universe of celestial bodies operating under similar laws of physics.

[3DGeek]

Yes - I agree.   The RET depends almost entirely on ONE simple fact - ONE simple equation.   F=m1 x m2 x G / (r x r) - that's the ONLY thing that you need to know to deduce everything about the shape of the earth, the moon and the sun - the orbits of the moon and planets - the cause of tides - how there are sunsets and sunrises - how eclipses work...pretty much everything can be deduced from just that one equation.

To make FET work, they have to invoke a dozen new "mechanisms" - the universal acceleration, magic perspective, "the anti-moon", celestial currents/gears - then add conspiracy theories - claim that airlines don't know how fast their airplanes can fly - claim that "diagrams don't represent the real world" and that "math doesn't work in a non-continuous universe".

So, for 100% sure, Occam's razor says "The Earth is probably Round".

However, Occam's razor is not a law of physics or a mathematical fact.   It's only a guideline...in ALMOST all cases, the simplest explanation is the right one...but that's not 100% guaranteed.  There are cases where it has been proven wrong.