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Atlantis
Hey,
I wanted to know what everyone thinks about the Atlantis legend.
Do you believe it existed or not?
If so, where to you think it was located? Santorini? Black Sea? South America? Azores?
I use to think it was complete rubbish. But recent archaeological evidence has shown some amazing findings...
(1) they've found tobacco in the Pyramids of Egypt
(2) the discovery of the Pyramids of Caral in Peru, dated to the same time period as the Pyramids in Egypt
(3) evidence of a 'great flood'
I wanted to know what everyone thinks about the Atlantis legend.
Do you believe it existed or not?
If so, where to you think it was located? Santorini? Black Sea? South America? Azores?
I use to think it was complete rubbish. But recent archaeological evidence has shown some amazing findings...
(1) they've found tobacco in the Pyramids of Egypt
(2) the discovery of the Pyramids of Caral in Peru, dated to the same time period as the Pyramids in Egypt
(3) evidence of a 'great flood'
If you are asking if Plato based his account of Atlantis on some historic or contemporary occurance, such as a serious volcanic eruption or other natural disaster (of which quite few are documented), then yes, it would certainly be in character with other works of the times. If you, as I am assuming, are looking for a more sensational explanation, then the answer is "no": I see no amount of proof for any wild theories making Atlantis a mythical island populated by an advanced race (usually) somewhere outside the Mediterranean ocean. The last "theory" I heard placed Atlantis on a (sunken) island in the Poopo Lake on the Bolivian Antiplano. Pfft. Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary proof and I haven't even seen any ordinary proof of any kind.
I concur.
Plato is the only reference for Atlantis - all other accounts are later and are based on Plato - specifically Timaeus and Critias.
There are two (sensible) schools of thought. One school believe it is pure allegory - Plato used the story of Atlantis to illustrate his own political theories. The other school believe it could have been based on either historical tragedy (such as the Trojan war) or contemporaneous events such as the destruction of Helike.
Much of the rest is pseudo-science and psycho-babble.
Plato is the only reference for Atlantis - all other accounts are later and are based on Plato - specifically Timaeus and Critias.
There are two (sensible) schools of thought. One school believe it is pure allegory - Plato used the story of Atlantis to illustrate his own political theories. The other school believe it could have been based on either historical tragedy (such as the Trojan war) or contemporaneous events such as the destruction of Helike.
Much of the rest is pseudo-science and psycho-babble.
In my opinion, Plato's statements about Atlantis aren't enough to prove that it existed. I find all the rumours interesting, but don't give them much credibility. If Atlantis did exist, then it isn't likely to have been as Plato described - if any of his claims are true, then I would be more inclined to accept the suggestion that some disaster destroyed Atlantis. I would think that the story of a great disaster would be more likely to survive over time rather than the specific details, such as the layout of the city, the materials with which it was built and the civilisation that inhabited it.
Hmm...
I always found Atlantis quite interesting. However I do believe it exists but there are just so many different accounts of its whereabouts and existance to really make an accurate presumption. Some say it was a city below a volcano, which erupted destroying the city completely, others say it was destroyed in a great flood, or sinking island. Some say it is in the middle of the Atlantis Ocean, Santorini islands, coast of america and many others.
It really depends on what scientist you look at really...everyone has their own theory so I'm just going to hope sometmie in the next 50 years we find something so then I can come back here *assuming its even up.......* *.... some more....* and make a definate answer. But it might help if we knew what Atlantis really was, a city destroyed by a volcano, or sunk *maybe by a volcano*, guess we can't be certain.
I always found Atlantis quite interesting. However I do believe it exists but there are just so many different accounts of its whereabouts and existance to really make an accurate presumption. Some say it was a city below a volcano, which erupted destroying the city completely, others say it was destroyed in a great flood, or sinking island. Some say it is in the middle of the Atlantis Ocean, Santorini islands, coast of america and many others.
It really depends on what scientist you look at really...everyone has their own theory so I'm just going to hope sometmie in the next 50 years we find something so then I can come back here *assuming its even up.......* *.... some more....* and make a definate answer. But it might help if we knew what Atlantis really was, a city destroyed by a volcano, or sunk *maybe by a volcano*, guess we can't be certain.
Yes, I believe in Atlantis....the TV show Stargate Atlantis. I think Atlantis for real is a definite maybe.
I think atlantis is one big made up story, although I don't know much about the background, i.e. when this story was created..
| Coclus wrote: |
| I think atlantis is one big made up story, although I don't know much about the background, i.e. when this story was created.. |
The only original mention of Atlantis that I recall is in Plato's Dialogues. Everything else is wishful / romantic thinking. Perhaps Plato did base his account of Atlantis on some historic backround, but that is about it. It's a captivating story, but still only a story.
| MaxStirner wrote: | ||
The only original mention of Atlantis that I recall is in Plato's Dialogues. Everything else is wishful / romantic thinking. Perhaps Plato did base his account of Atlantis on some historic backround, but that is about it. It's a captivating story, but still only a story. |
This is correct. The first mention is Plato. All subsequent mentions are based on Plato's account. Plato may well have based his story on a historical happening - as previously mentioned. It is very unlikely, however, that it was anything that we would today recognise as 'Atlantis' - the submerged civilisation. It is much more likely to have been based on a more prosaic disaster such as Helike
it has got to exist. the world is big enough to hold it all somewheres.
| mattgutmann wrote: |
| it has got to exist. the world is big enough to hold it all somewheres. |
Well, the world is certainly big enough to hold a large pink talking teapot called Nigel, but I don't think you will find one soon...
I'm not sure either way, but the idea it being Santorini does sound like the most realistic explanation.
I did once read a very detailed analysis on this website that argued that it was this large landmass between Asia and Australia, from an earlier time when it wasn't underwater. Found that intriguing, but not convinced.
So - not quite willing to say that it was real, but happy to debate what it might have been, or where it might have existed.
I did once read a very detailed analysis on this website that argued that it was this large landmass between Asia and Australia, from an earlier time when it wasn't underwater. Found that intriguing, but not convinced.
So - not quite willing to say that it was real, but happy to debate what it might have been, or where it might have existed.
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