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If Australia a Small Continent or a large Island?
#1
If Australia a Small Continent or a large Island?
I would think the fact that Australia sits on its own tectonic plate classifies it as a continent. Yet, by that definition, India should also be considered a continent, while Europe, with shares the Eurasian tectonic plate with Asia, should not.

It appear then that continental status is based more on politics and culture than empirical science.
The god who allows children to be raped out of respect for the free will choice of the rapist, but punishes gay men for engaging in mutually consensual sex couldn't possibly be responsible for an intelligently designed universe.

I may defend your right to free speech, but i won't help you pass out flyers.

Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.
--Voltaire

Nietzsche isn't dead. How do I know he lives? He lives in my mind.
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#2
RE: If Australia a Small Continent or a large Island?
You’re perfectly correct. What we think of as a ‘continent’ is largely a matter of tradition.

Boru
‘But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods or no gods. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.’ - Thomas Jefferson
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#3
RE: If Australia a Small Continent or a large Island?
Island continent.

Smile
Dying to live, living to die.
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#4
RE: If Australia a Small Continent or a large Island?
(November 8, 2018 at 2:33 pm)Rhondazvous Wrote: I would think the fact that Australia sits on its own tectonic plate classifies it as a continent. Yet, by that definition, India should also be considered a continent, while Europe, with shares the Eurasian tectonic plate with Asia, should not.

It appear then that continental status is based more on politics and culture than empirical science.

What is this Australia of which you speak?
Urbs Antiqua Fuit Studiisque Asperrima Belli

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#5
RE: If Australia a Small Continent or a large Island?
(November 8, 2018 at 3:13 pm)Wololo Wrote:
(November 8, 2018 at 2:33 pm)Rhondazvous Wrote: I would think the fact that Australia sits on its own tectonic plate classifies it as a continent. Yet, by that definition, India should also be considered a continent, while Europe, with shares the Eurasian tectonic plate with Asia, should not.

It appear then that continental status is based more on politics and culture than empirical science.

What is this Australia of which you speak?

WTF??

It's the land that gave the world Paul Hogan, Cold Chisel, Hugh Jackman and, more importantly, me!

Alas poor Wololo, what a terrible demise he faces...
Dying to live, living to die.
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#6
RE: If Australia a Small Continent or a large Island?
(November 8, 2018 at 2:33 pm)Rhondazvous Wrote: I would think the fact that Australia sits on its own tectonic plate classifies it as a continent. Yet, by that definition, India should also be considered a continent, while Europe, with shares the Eurasian tectonic plate with Asia, should not.

It appear then that continental status is based more on politics and culture than empirical science.

LESS FILLING, TASTES GREAT

FORD VS CHEVY

COWBOYS VS REDSKINS.

Just being silly. I think the reality is outside science itself, it is considered both an island and a continent. It is an oddity sure. I say it is both at the same time. 

I do know having visited it is a fucking pain in the ass using the toilet upside down. That shit gets messy.
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#7
RE: If Australia a Small Continent or a large Island?
Well... it's pretty much also flat.

As well as fekkin' hot.

Uhm... yeah, I got nithin'.

Not at work.
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#8
RE: If Australia a Small Continent or a large Island?
I heard a rumor that Australia is incontinent.


<ducks>  <runs>
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#9
RE: If Australia a Small Continent or a large Island?
But if you want someone to settle the argument and piss off one side, get Neil Degresse Tyson to weigh in on it. The world was pissed at him for pointing out that Pluto was a dwarf planet. Irony is he didn't vote on the official final finding, he simply pointed out the parameters. But damn man, the world gave him a shitload of hate mail over it. 

I don't think you can please either side of the Australia argument in layman's terms, anymore than you can please Pluto fans.
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#10
RE: If Australia a Small Continent or a large Island?
The ‘continent’ is Australasia (encompassing New Zealand and some of the islands in the South Pacific outside of Polynesia) and the ‘country’ is Australia. I didn’t know Australasia had its own Olympic flag according to the wiki page, interesting!

Also, India is actually classed as a sub-continent already in many cultural/geographical classifications:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australasia

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_subcontinent
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