Kindle Edition
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Category:
Play/Screenplay
Publisher: John Eriksen
Type: Fiction
Pages: 29
Copyright: 2017
Price: $0.99 (eBook)
In a court transcript that reads like a play, Flat-Earther Elliot is snatched from his home by local authorities who commit him to a mental ward for posting "Flat Earth" and other conspiracy topics on YouTube.
Fortunately,his friends find a adept attorney knowledgeable in the flat earth theory.
The court dialogue is dead serious but also at times hilariously funny.
Topics examined include:
- the development of the Copernican theory
- the unproven assumptions at the base of modern astronomy
- determining the distance to the sun and other heavenly bodies
- hidden scientific experiments not generally taught in universities
- little known aspects of the moon and eclipses
- surprising quotes from famous astrophysicists
- scientific books & papers examining alternate models of cosmology
The trial is bound to be a landmark case and the facts uncovered will surprise the most astute students of astronomy. The mental diagnosis (per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) for Flat-Earther Elliot, the trial process itself (e.g., jury rights), and legal procedures are also discussed.
Continue to learn from Flat-Earther Elliot's huge bibliography of over 100 books and nearly 60 online references for both spherical and flat earth cosmological models--which also exposes a surprising amount of historic information already in print on this debate from the last 150 years.
Excerpt
Prologue
The trial venue is rural central Florida. The scene is set in an historic, two-story courthouse constructed of weathered red brick, circa 1889. The ceiling mouldings, as well as bench, bar, railings and jury box are all solid oak with assorted brass hardware throughout.
The defendant, Flat-Earther Elliot, sits gazing through an open sash window, admiring the swaying branches and moss of an ancient live oak. His mind wanders, unaware that many a defendant of the surrounding ocean prairie received their just reward under those rugged limbs.
With the trial about to start, several protesters stand outside under the old hanging tree. They chant and hold signs with the words “Fully Informed Jury Association” and “if the globe don’t fit, you must acquit.”
Six jurors now assemble in the jury box as curious onlookers file into the court gallery. At 9 a.m. an elderly judge of exceptional height approaches the bench.
.
================================
STATE OF FLORIDA,
v.
Flat-Earther Elliot,
Defendant
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR HOLOPAW 21ST JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
CASE: 2017-678934561fe
---------------------------X
================================
JUDGE A. ERNEST MASON, PRESIDING
ROY L. PAYNE, STATE ATTORNEY
1333 Jailhouse Road
Shake Rag, FL
JERE S. PRUDENCE, DEFENSE COUNSEL
1 Mill Mosquitoe Road
Flat Island, FL
----------------------------------------
(Call to order.)
The Bailiff:
“All stand. The Honorable Judge A. Earnest Mason, presiding.”
(The chanting of protesters crescendos outside the courthouse. Someone has hung a cutout figure of a man on the nearby oak, its head resembling a globe.)
The Judge:
“Bailiff, close that window. Everyone take your seats.”
(The judge puts on a pair of reading glasses.)
Good morning. We'll start this morning with the State v. Flat-Earther Elliot. The defendant is accused of
incompetence and being a threat to himself and society and as such requiring hospitalization under the Baker Act.”
(The judge removes his glasses and looks directly at Flat-Earther Elliot.)
“Flat-Earther Elliot, it has been determined that you exhibit non compos mentis, to wit: an obsession with an archaic flat-Earth world view. Your delusional state of mind, and hence your insanity, is evident from more than 300 on-line posts calling for radical scientific revolutions in the heliocentric, evolution, and big bang theories. Do you understand the charge?”
(The defendant points at the judge. The defense counselor attempts to curb the defendant’s gesture.)
Flat-Earther Elliot:
“You’re the crazy one, not me.”
(The judge reaches for his gavel.)
Judge:
“Shut up! Now how does the defendant plead?”
(The defense counselor stands.)
The Defense:
“Not guilty, Judge.”
Judge:
“By reason of insanity?"
Defense:
“No Judge. My client maintains his full sanity."
(The judge shakes his head and points to the defense counselor.)
Judge:
“Very well, if you want to go on a fool’s errand you better provide some earth-shattering evidence. I won’t listen to foolishness. I want prosecution and defense to limit this case to the highest and best evidence only. Stick to original documents and exhibits that support a need for commitment of the defendant, or alternatively his release.”
(The judge motions to the prosecutor to proceed.)
PROSECUTOR'S OPENING STATEMENT:
(The prosecutor stands confidently by his table where a classroom globe is displayed. He is confident and not particularly prepared for this trial because he believes the only defense in this case is insanity. He spins the globe gently before approaching the jury box.)
Prosecutor:
“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, we are here today to protect our basic heritage as Americans. We stand for our system of law, clear thought, and common sense. Without these, our entire system of justice would falter, not to mention our entire civilization.”
“I hope that all of you would agree that mankind has progressed too far to tolerate the thinking of the dark ages. This is the mindset of the defendant Flat-Earther Elliot. His dark rhetoric is a danger to himself and to society. Fortunately, our case is made easy today because the defendant freely admits his lunacy--making the absurd claim that the Earth is flat and stationary.”
(The prosecutor pauses, and then lowers his head, tapping his forehead.)
“Unfortunately, this flat earth mentality has recently spawned other debilitating fantasies--those of concave-earthers, hollow-earthers, and the like. These insidious conspiracy theories cause division and threaten the stability of society as a whole."
“So we are here today to restore our faith in science and to send a clear message to all those of this new “flat-Earth" mentality. We the people will stand up to those who willfully defame our common heritage and ignore the greatest minds known to science. Have we forgotten Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo? And what about Newton, Halley, and Einstein?”
(The prosecutor picks up a diagram from his brief case and displays it to the jury.)
“This map was confiscated from the defendant. It’s entitled ‘Flat-Earther’s Map.’”
(The prosecutor hands the map to the Jury foreman so that each juror may inspect it.)
“That map represents the two-dimensional fantasy world of Flat-Earther Elliot. In this bogus flat world the defendant wanders aimlessly—now at the edge of insanity. This is the black and white shadow land where pseudo-science meets dementia, where Flat-Earther Elliot points his spear and jabs the Earth, testing reality. In the process he jabs us and the very heart of our culture. This morning we will parry that point.
"We will present facts, logic, and 500 years of scientific discipline to confirm beyond a doubt that we live on a globe within a heliocentric planetary system. And with these facts established, I am confident that the members of the jury will find a verdict in support of the state’s position that in accordance with the Baker Act, it is in the best interest of the defendant that he be held for observation until medical professionals determine an appropriate diagnosis and treatment for his current mental disorder.”
“We hope by our successful prosecution today to enlighten and warn others of like mind: find professional guidance now before slipping into a like-minded pathology. Your honor, we yield to the defense.”
DEFENSE OPENING STATEMENT:
(The defense attorney is in his late twenties. This is his first trial experience other than traffic court. However, he is very well versed in this subject. A double-faced library book cart is positioned by his table filled with reference books on cosmology.)
Defense:
“Good morning ladies and gentlemen of the jury. There are two sides to this story—and one side is not being told. We will examine this missing side momentarily.”
“First let me tell you about the stigma of prejudice. Prejudice destroys truth. It is a horrible thing. As jurors I remind you that your highest obligation is to determine the truth by way of the evidence. I remind you also of your commitment to objectivity you pledged during our voir dire interviews. Only when the truth is clearly established will you realize that my client is as sane as any other person in this courtroom.”
“This trial is a test of your ability to think fairly and impartially, with facts and nothing but facts. Now, normally we believe we are free to think without restriction or interference. But this is not always the case. We often engage in self-deception and our rationality and conclusions may be clouded by feelings, emotions, desires, fears and our early education. I am asking you to discard your preconceptions today, suspend judgment, and think only of the evidence presented."
"Think back to a time when you were put down or defamed. How did that feel? Now, hopefully you were never locked up for being unpopular. But this is what extreme prejudge has done to my client. The court of public opinion has labeled him a kook, and a throwback to the dark ages. For this he has been detained against his will and his rights to free speech under the First Amendment have been violated. How fair is that?"
(The defense counselor walks over to the Jury box and takes a deep breath and takes a relaxed stance.)
“The plain truth is that Flat-Earther Elliot’s only crime is that of open-mindedness. He has challenged the scientific status quo and ruffled some feathers—solely due to his willingness to reexamine how we see the world. He has asked controversial and uncomfortable questions. Now is that a crime or civil tort?”
“Obviously not, because isn't it science that questions? And after which, isn't evidence gathered in support of a hypothesis that strives to answer those questions? We know science has many questions—and many theories. In this case we are concerned with only two theories. These are the two stories so to speak: the heliocentric story and that of the geocentric story—in this case, flat earth theory.”
(The defense counselor steps closer to the jury box and looks into the eyes of each juror as he continues.)
“The prosecution has mentioned the great men of science. Would it surprise you that even Einstein admitted that both the Heliocentric and Geocentric models were valid in light of relative motion? Yes Einstein’s mind was open to his own inadequate theories. He acknowledged this in 1949 when he wrote:
‘There is not a single concept of which I am convinced that it will stand firm and I feel uncertain whether I am in general on the right track.’”
“Now ladies and gentlemen of the jury, this is an important case because it has no precedence. It is up to you to
decide if Elliot’s beliefs are based on evidence, or they are baseless fantasy. If his thinking is based on evidence, even unpopular evidence, then he is a sane and reasonable man and his immediate release is mandatory. We welcome this chance to objectively examine the evidence for Elliot’s viewpoint and I am completely confident that once you see and understand that evidence, you will find my client not guilty. Thank you ladies and gentlemen. The defense yields.”
===========================
THE PROSECUTION
===========================
Prosecutor:
“Your honor, we call Dr. Sidney Freud to the stand.”
(The witness takes the stand and is sworn.)
Prosecutor:
“Dr. Freud, do you know the defendant Flat-Earther Elliot?”
Dr. Freud
“Yes, Elliot has been a patient of mine for the past week or so.”
Prosecutor:
“Can you elaborate on Elliot’s condition? Exactly why does he need your professional help?”
Dr. Freud:
“Elliot lacks the normal cognitive ability to focus on the daily tasks of living and could be a danger to himself or others. From his own admission, he spends most of the day sitting at his computer looking for information on various conspiracy theories. Most of these theories are rooted in denialism. So in Elliot's case, he denies not only the planet earth, but the solar system and almost everything known to science.”
Prosecutor:
"Doctor, how did this case come to your attention?"
Dr. Freud:
"About a week ago, our local fire department responded to a fire at Elliot's house. Apparently his stove was burning. When the paramedics arrived, they found Elliot unconscious and slumped over his computer keyboard.”
Prosecutor:
"And were there any other pertinent circumstances of concern?"
Dr. Freud:
"The report did mention that the house was cluttered. They found quite a few empty bottles of a product called 5 Hour Energy and also empty packages of NoDoz near his computer, which was still running."
Prosecutor:
"OK, and what type of material had he been viewing?"
Dr. Freud:
"The sheriff's report stated that he had last viewed a website called the International Flat Earth Research Society."
Prosecutor:
“Flat Earth So-ci-ety?"
(The prosecutor pauses to reflect on the oddity of that name.)
"OK doctor, what is your psychiatric diagnosis for Elliot’s condition?”
Dr. Freud:
“Right now it's entered as an Unspecified Mental Disorder. I've been told that our our psychiatric manual will soon include a specific diagnosis for flat earth disorder, in as much as a growing number of people are now at risk for this condition. It’s really an altered state of consciousness where individuals see themselves in a flat domed world, isolated and protected, like a moth in a cocoon.”
(The prosecutor agrees by nodding his head up and down, letting the jury ponder this scenario.)
Prosecutor:
“Did you say a flat doomed world?”
(The doctor laughs.)
Dr. Freud:
“No not doomed, domed—like those geodesic dome homes that some preppers buy. Flat-Earthers are like preppers in that way. They’re conspiracy theorists who search the Internet, incessantly looking for survival tactics. In Elliot’s case he believes he is perfectly sane, but of course that fact only confirms his insanity. It’s also important to note that Internet addiction is clearly a secondary issue here. In his hours on-line, Elliot has managed to fool quite a lot of people, and this naturally feeds his superiority complex.”
Prosecutor:
“How so?”
Dr. Freud:
“Well, Elliot's Youtube channel is loaded with material critical of the Heliocentric planetary system and NASA. This NASA conspiracy appears to be a subject that has attracted a fringe element of youthful science deniers who have subscribed to his on-line rants. That certainly promotes a superiority complex.”
Prosecutor:
“Dr. Freud, what is your recommendation for Elliot’s future treatment?”
Dr. Freud:
“Elliot requires careful observation, more brain scans and testing for possible chemical imbalances. We anticipate six weeks at our Chattahoochee counseling center to complete the necessary tests and therapy.”
(Flat-Earther Elliot suddenly stands and points to the doctor. He appears agitated.)
Flat-Earther Elliot:
“I know your treatments, Olanzapine and scramble my brains with your electro-convulsive zapper, like they did to Stephen Hawking when he found the truth, right?”
(Snickers erupt from the court gallery. The bailiff adjusts his holster and steps cautiously toward the defense table. The judge slams down his gavel and bears down on the defendant.)
Judge:
“Order in the court! The defendant will sit down and remain silent until spoken to. Is that understood?”
(Dead silence follows.)
“Mr. Prosecutor, proceed.”
Prosecutor:
“No further questions for Dr. Freud. Your honor, we call Dr. Russel I. Weinstein to the stand."
Defense:
“Objection, Judge. We object to this witness. Not to his qualifications, but his career and livelihood are intimately intertwined with the Heliocentric theory—causing a conflict of interest in any truthful facts that could adversely affect his academic viewpoints. He therefore has a strong incentive to bias his remarks in favor of the state.”
Judge:
“Counsel, I trust the doctor. Let’s see what he has to say before we judge him.”
(The judge motions to the clerk to proceed with the oath. The witness is sworn. The prosecutor holds up a book.)
Prosecutor:
“Dr. Weinstein, you are the author of this book, ‘The Fundamentals of Science?’”
Dr. Weinstein:
“Yes I am.”
Prosecutor:
“Doctor, the study of astronomy and physics has dominated science for hundreds of years. Can you explain to the court why we know the Earth is a sphere rotating in space and why Flat-Earther Elliot labors under the invalidated hypothesis of a flat and stationary earth?”
Dr. Weinstein:
“Certainly, the doctrine of the earth’s convexity was established by Eratosthenes almost 2200 years ago. Copernicus, Brahe, and Kepler further refined the concept. Newton made sense of the planetary system by defining gravity. Bessel and Gill refined our measurements. Einstein’s relativistic cosmology showed us that the sun also moves throughout the universe, so technically, heliocentricity is now a-centricity. Today we have evidence from NASA that confirms this heliocentric theory proposed by the early physicists.”
Prosecutor:
“Thank you doctor. You say the foundations of our scientific knowledge stretch back more than 2000 years to Eratosthenes. I believe you have prepared a brief demonstration of his experiment proving the Earth to be a globe?”
Dr. Weinstein:
“Yes indeed.”
(A large white globe is rolled in view of the judge and jury. Two small sticks are protruding from the globe a few inches apart. The courtroom lights are dimmed. Dr. Weinstein’s assistant shines a flashlight directly over one of the sticks.)
“Here we see how Eratosthenes viewed an illuminated stick at 12 noon—of course it produced no shadow as you see. He wondered if the sun at noon in some distant part of the world would produce the same effect. Well, through a lot of effort he discovered what we see here. The first stick has no shadow, but the second one has a slight shadow—caused by the curve of the Earth. From this insight, he went on to measure the angle of the shadow of the distant column, and with simple trigonometry, he calculated the Earth’s circumference.”
Prosecutor:
“Very ingenious, but how can the common man be assured that all this science is accurate and we do indeed live on a spherical planet? After all, not everyone is a master of trigonometry and physics.”
Dr. Weinstein:
“Well, the common sailor has long realized that ships go out to sea only to disappear slowly over the horizon. First the lower part of the ship disappears, then the top mast finally fades over the Earth’s curvature as the ship moves out to sea and around the globe.”
Prosecutor:
"Around the globe, very well. And just how did early scientists come to verify the Earth as a sphere?”
Dr. Weinstein:
“Well, students of science know that Galileo’s observation of Jupiter’s moons, perceived to be spheres revolving around Jupiter, formed the basis for his verification of the Copernican theory that we do the same as we circle the sun.”
“Additionally, our own moon circles the Earth approximately once per month. This gives great credence to our knowledge that we live in a cyclic system of revolving heavenly bodies. The fact that the moon shows the Earth’s curvature during eclipses adds to the evidence that we live on a spherical Earth in motion around the sun. I myself can confirm that the Earth is indeed round, having flown around the globe several times going to various conferences.”
(The prosecutor looks at the globe resting on his table. He spins it as before.)
Prosecutor:
“Dr. Weinstein, are you saying that ships and planes demonstrate a spherical earth when they circumnavigate the planet?”
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