**The “Blue Marble” and Plato’s Philosophy of Earth**
On December 24, 1968, astronaut William Anders, during the Apollo 8 mission, took a historic photograph. The photo, known as the “Blue Marble,” captured a stunning image of the Earth as a sphere floating in the blackness of space.
It was the first time humans had a clear view of our home planet from space. Before such photographs, images of the Earth were mostly presented on flat maps, without a clear idea of its three-dimensional shape.
In Plato’s philosophical works, written some 2,500 years ago, he described the Earth as a sphere. This was a bold concept at the time, when there was no technology or means to see the Earth from space. Plato, whose real name was Aristocles, was a famous ancient philosopher, teacher, and scientist who is credited with pioneering ideas about the geometry and shape of the Earth.
He may have had access to unusual information about the shape of the Earth from a variety of sources, including scientific knowledge of the time, legends and myths from ancient Egyptian civilization, as well as spiritual experiences that he himself had. His ideas about the shape of the Earth have had a profound influence on the way that later people have viewed our planet.
Plato did not stop at describing the shape of the Earth; he also mentioned the existence of beings living on “air islands,” which he believed were capable of true celestial observation. This represents an expanded view of the existence of beings and their ability to interact with the world beyond Earth.
In his works, Plato wrote about beings from space, describing them as having advanced technology and superior health to humans. He discussed the relationship between humans and other creatures, as well as concepts related to territory and power.
Plato mentioned the sharing of territory between the gods during an ancient invasion, which is similar to many stories in other cultures and religions where divine beings and humans have complex relationships.
Finally, in his works, Plato not only described the Earth but also discussed the concept of space and seeing it from a distance. He mentioned experiences related to death and other worlds, showing a profound view of the existence of other creatures and dimensions.
These concepts not only have philosophical value but also open up interesting questions about the relationship between humans and the vast universe in which we live.
