Subject: Re: [HM] Flat earth fallacy
From: Mike Robison (mrobison@voyager.net)
Date: Mon Feb 21 2000 - 20:08:13 EST
In regard to the question of what was known about "flat earth" and
related issues. I also belong to a list on history of mapping. A
while back, there was a post promoting the book "The Friar's Map"
by Gunnar Thompson.
A selection from the author's description:
"Nicholas of Lynn solicited the support of Norwegian priests and
royalty in his monumental task of mapping the Northern Regions.
I have determined that the objective of the English friar was the
Magnetic North Pole of Hudson Bay--thus, his Franciscan associates
managed to produce a scientific survey map of much of North America.
Indeed, Florida is clearly distinguishable on eight maps in the
English-Portuguese sphere from 1360 to 1492."
Apparently, not only was it "known" that the earth was spherical, but
that there was something in the way of potential west travel to China.
Mike
--
Mike Robison
Math graduate student and occasional amateur historian
Michigan State University
mrobison@voyager.net robiso12@pilot.msu.edu
http://www.msu.edu/user/robiso12/index.htm
"Expecting all children the same age to learn from the
same materials is like expecting all children the same
age to wear the same size clothing." M. Hunter
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b28 : Mon Feb 21 2000 - 20:26:47 EST