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RE: Worst explanations for gravity?
September 8, 2011 at 5:56 pm
(September 8, 2011 at 2:48 pm)Rayaan Wrote: (September 8, 2011 at 2:30 pm)Tiberius Wrote: I once frequented the "Flat Earth Society" forums, and met some people who honestly believed that what we call "gravity" is simply the effect of the Earth (which is a massive flat disk surrounded by a wall of ice) hurtling upwards through the universe.
At least they successfully applied Einstein's equivalence principle in relation to gravity. So, a little credit there.
No, they didn't. Equivalence principle would call for earth to be accelerating upwards through space, nbot merely hurtling upwards through space.
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RE: Worst explanations for gravity?
September 8, 2011 at 6:00 pm
Gravity is God's love 
Thought everyone knew.
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RE: Worst explanations for gravity?
September 8, 2011 at 7:06 pm
(September 8, 2011 at 5:56 pm)Chuck Wrote: Equivalence principle would call for earth to be accelerating upwards through space, not merely hurtling upwards through space.
The first part is true, but, "hurtling upwards through space" doesn't necessarily negate that the earth is "accelerating upwards through space." The only difference is that "accelerating" is more precise than "hurtling" because it has an added information to it. Therefore, either terms could have been used while (roughly) conveying the same concept. 
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RE: Worst explanations for gravity?
September 8, 2011 at 7:31 pm
(This post was last modified: September 8, 2011 at 7:32 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
It pays to be precise. Close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades.
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RE: Worst explanations for gravity?
September 8, 2011 at 8:13 pm
(September 8, 2011 at 7:31 pm)Rhythm Wrote: It pays to be precise. Close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades.
Yeah, the more precise the better.
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RE: Worst explanations for gravity?
September 8, 2011 at 9:01 pm
Bill Maher once joked that gravity is a conspiracy by Jews to get your loose change.
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RE: Worst explanations for gravity?
September 8, 2011 at 10:32 pm
(September 8, 2011 at 5:56 pm)Chuck Wrote: (September 8, 2011 at 2:48 pm)Rayaan Wrote: (September 8, 2011 at 2:30 pm)Tiberius Wrote: I once frequented the "Flat Earth Society" forums, and met some people who honestly believed that what we call "gravity" is simply the effect of the Earth (which is a massive flat disk surrounded by a wall of ice) hurtling upwards through the universe.
At least they successfully applied Einstein's equivalence principle in relation to gravity. So, a little credit there.
No, they didn't. Equivalence principle would call for earth to be accelerating upwards through space, nbot merely hurtling upwards through space.
I looked at the flat earth forum once for laughs. Never did find out what the 'accelerator' was. Besides, after about 68.5 years, further acceleration would be impossible anyway.
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RE: Worst explanations for gravity?
September 9, 2011 at 8:53 pm
When I was a child my grandmother explained to me
1. That Hell was the center of the earth.
2. Hell was a vacuum for our sins.
3. There was a lot of sin on earth
4. and thus Hell's vacuum held us down.
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RE: Worst explanations for gravity?
September 10, 2011 at 2:10 am
Wow
I guess adam and eve didn't have to worry about that pesky gravity, no wonder they chose to sin, floating about all day must have become irritating, hell a strong wind would have dragged them off... If I was in their position I'd do anything for some gravity too
.
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RE: Worst explanations for gravity?
September 10, 2011 at 3:48 am
(This post was last modified: September 10, 2011 at 3:54 am by Anomalocaris.)
(September 8, 2011 at 7:06 pm)Rayaan Wrote: (September 8, 2011 at 5:56 pm)Chuck Wrote: Equivalence principle would call for earth to be accelerating upwards through space, not merely hurtling upwards through space.
The first part is true, but, "hurtling upwards through space" doesn't necessarily negate that the earth is "accelerating upwards through space." The only difference is that "accelerating" is more precise than "hurtling" because it has an added information to it. Therefore, either terms could have been used while (roughly) conveying the same concept.
Since acceleration upward is the only form of "hurtling" that would meet with the superficial approval of the equivalence principle, specifying hurtling without specifying acceleration is somewhat like calling yourself "organism" when asked what species you belong to. :p
(September 9, 2011 at 8:53 pm)8BitAtheist Wrote: When I was a child my grandmother explained to me
1. That Hell was the center of the earth.
2. Hell was a vacuum for our sins.
3. There was a lot of sin on earth
4. and thus Hell's vacuum held us down.
Since the pull of vacuum would be at it's strongest when there is absolutely nothing to fill it, that would suggest if there is no sin on earth to fill the vacuum, we would get sucked into hell all the faster.
Conversely, If we sin truly tirelessly, the vacuum of hell would be filled sooner and the gravity would stop.
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