The Earth is flat!
Subtitle: an exposé of the globularist hoax
By: by Dr. Leo Charles Ferrari (president, the Flat Earth Society) ; together with Tractates by the executive of the society and sundry papers by the members ; edited by Kay Burns and David Eso
Series: Social and economic studies -- no. 85; Social and economic studies (St. John's, N.L.) -- no. 85
Publisher: ISER Books
Published: 2019
Place of publication: St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Language: eng
Number of pages: 295
ISBN-13: 9781894725590
Subjects: Philosophy
Description: "David Eso and Kay Burns's edition of philosopher Leo Ferrari's previously unpublished 1973 manuscript brings to light a long forgotten satirical work, which, in an age of fake news, possesses renewed relevance. The editors contextualize The Earth is Flat! for the reader with a scholarly introduction and a humorous "Forewarning." Author, Leo Ferrari, draws on his extensive knowledge of classical thought and its key figures to present a history of ideas that is sometimes accurate, sometimes speculative. Speculative or alternative aspects of this history support his Flat Earth theme, as do a number of scientific experiments outlined, which the reader is encouraged to try. He traces the conflict between "Globularist" and "Planoterrestrial" beliefs from antiquity to his contemporary moment of the early 1970s, marked by space exploration. Later chapters chart the activities and philosophies of the Flat Earth Society of Canada, including Ferrari's experience on the lecture circuit and in media platforms. The author's method is to blur the line between seriousness and humour and to show that intellectual work can also be good fun. He uses the idea of a spinning, spherical planet to symbolically represent the alienating effects of technological modernity."--
Notes: Includes bibliographical references.
Table of contents: title: Forewarning / by Iris Taylor; title: Three pieces of limestone / by Kay Burns; title: Across the peneplain and over the precipice / by David Eso; title: Note on the text; title: The earth is flat! An exposé of the globularist hoax. Author's acknowledgements; title: Introduction; title: Round or flat?; title: Does half the world live upside down?; title: The more elementary "proofs" of the globularists; title: The scientific "proofs" of the globularists; title: The growth of globularism; title: Gyroglobularism, or the curse of Copernicus; title: Planoterrestrialism or globularism?; title: The philosophy of the Flat Earth Society; title: Adventures with the Flat Earth Society; title: Epilogue; title: Flat earthers' forum: Tractates by the executive of the society and sundry papers by the members; title: Editors' acknowledgements; title: About the editors.