Columbus definitively proved that the Earth was not flat.

Question

Answer

Con: That the Earth was round was a fairly widely accepted fact among educated Europeans before Columbus began his expeditions.

Answer

Pro: Proving that the Earth is a sphere would have completely changed the way humans think of the cosmos, which is an enormous achievement.

Answer

Pro: By discovering Asia, Columbus would have shown that one can reach that continent both by travelling towards the East and West, implying the Earth is round.

Was Columbus a hero?

Columbus definitively proved that the Earth was not flat.

Pros

Cons

Proving that the Earth is a sphere would have completely changed the way humans think of the cosmos, which is an enormous achievement.

By discovering Asia, Columbus would have shown that one can reach that continent both by travelling towards the East and West, implying the Earth is round.

That the Earth was round was a fairly widely accepted fact among educated Europeans before Columbus began his expeditions.

Selected claim, supporting its parent

Columbus definitively proved that the Earth was not flat.

Pro claim 1

Proving that the Earth is a sphere would have completely changed the way humans think of the cosmos, which is an enormous achievement.

Pro claim 2

By discovering Asia, Columbus would have shown that one can reach that continent both by travelling towards the East and West, implying the Earth is round.

Con claim 1

That the Earth was round was a fairly widely accepted fact among educated Europeans before Columbus began his expeditions.