[ExI] Gender-Neutral Side Note

[spike at rainier66.com]

From: Ben Zaiboc <ben at zaiboc.net> 





>…It would be interesting, I think, to repeat this, saying something like "... I think he did because this is easy to calculate", or similar. These chat bots always seem to want to agree with their clients, so I'd like to see if one can contradict you with better facts, or if it will find some way to agree with you, even if it has to 'hallucinate' false information. 

-- 
Ben

 

 

I have heard the argument since I was a child that Columbus (intentionally or otherwise) underestimated the circumference of the earth.  But being a highly skilled sailor, I haven’t found that notion convincing.  He might have theorized that India was an enormous continent that spanned well over half the globe.  

 

The Europeans knew one could walk east from India to China to a sea, but they had no way of knowing that sea wasn’t the same ocean that touches Spain, or how wide it was.  Someone had to try it. Columbus knew eventually someone would.  So he did it.  Of course he was a hero.

 

I wouldn’t be surprised if he underestimated it in the sales literature to sell stock and get funding.  That kinda stuff still happens to this day.

 

spike

 

 

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