In the interest of preserving for posterity the wealth of flat Earth knowledge and research done during the late 19th and early 20th century, I will be starting a series of audiobook and PDF downloads to make them more easily and widely available. Today's selection is William Carpenter's 1885 book "100 Proofs Earth is Not a Globe."
William Carpenter's controversial 1885 book, 100 Proofs Earth is Not a Globe, presents a radical and rejected point of view that the Earth is flat. Carpenter's views were, and in many cases still are, roundly dismissed as pseudoscience and complete nonsense by mainstream scientists. The book lays out many of the arguments made by flat Earth proponents to challenge accepted views, such as the objections to geocentric and heliocentric models of the solar system, the nature of the horizon, shadows on the moon, and more.
Carpenter's book starts by introducing the basic concepts and science of the flat earth movement, beginning with the bible and ancient writings. Carpenter then moves into references of great ancient thinkers who believed in a flat Earth and references material from around the world, further theorizing that a flat Earth could explain a range of phenomena. He presents 100 proofs, using scientific observations and experiments to challenge the heliocentric view of the Earth and supports a flat Earth model. Carpenter asserts, in direct opposition to current thought, that the Earth's most distant regions can be reached by sailing in a straight line and that the curves of Earth's surface are not visually detectable.
100 Proofs Earth is Not a Globe has had an enduring legacy in the world of 'flat Earthers' who point to Carpenter's book as a source of credibility. His work, whether taken seriously or not, is a time capsule of centuries-old scientific thought, with debates that are relevant today. Regardless of the reader’s views, Carpenter’s book offers an interesting insight into a past era of scientific thought.
Despite its age, the book has remained in print and garnered cult-like devotion among flat-earthers to this day. The book has been republished by Creation Today and is currently available in both physical and digital formats. Carpenter’s work continues to influence the modern flat Earth movement, with many flat Earthers citing the book as authority in order to prove their point.
Whether the reader rejects or accepts Carpenter’s conclusions, his book serves an important purpose in understanding the history of scientific thought and offers an interesting, albeit controversial, perspective which has stood the test of time.