[ExI] Gender-Neutral Side Note

[BillK]

On Sat, 8 Nov 2025 at 12:37, spike jones via extropy-chat
<extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
> 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.
>
> 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.In essence, Columbus's mistake wasn't just a simple error—it was a willful underestimation that helped sell the voyage to sponsors, combined with genuine ambition and Spain's strategic need to compete in global trade.
>
> spike
> _______________________________________________


Following Ben's AI suggestion, I asked Kimi K2 AI -
"Did Columbus mistake the distance of his voyage to India or were
there other reasons to justify the venture?"
The answer agrees with Spike that Columbus knew very well what he was doing.
Full story at this link
<https://www.kimi.com/share/19a63935-0d72-84f7-8000-0000ba2194fd>
Final sentence -
In essence, Columbus's mistake wasn't just a simple error—it was a
willful underestimation that helped sell the voyage to sponsors,
combined with genuine ambition and Spain's strategic need to compete
in global trade.
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BillK