I hope you didn't read my post as an attack. I asked in good faith as I'm legitimately interested in what the answers might be.
I'm as confident the earth is near spherical as I am about anything. I am the type who constantly questions things. My questions about the spherical nature of this planet are easily satisfied while I have many questions regarding its flatness that are not. Hence my position. It's not based on what the masses tell me, but my own critical examination of the evidence available to me.
Yet even if I am comfy in my belief of something I will still inquire of those who think differently. Even if I know their position is wrong, they might have an insight of value i've not considered. They might have some knowledge I didn't know before even if it's not enough to prove their position or if its completely impertinent to the issue at hand yet still worth knowing about. Or maybe it just helps to further understand the issue even if my opinion doesn't change.
I think the benefits of the pursuit of knowledge and acheivement speak for themselves. I mean you can argue the benefits derived do not justify the expense, but you can't really deny the benefits. Suppressing knowledge can certainly benefit people in many circumstance, but I fail to see where the motivation would lay to suppress the true shape of this planet... hence why I ask.
If I wanted to just disprove I'd simply ask for one single shred of evidence that there is an end of this world, which geometrically speaking, would have to be the largest physical feature on the planet if it exists.
