--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Though he avoided outright endorsement of…" description: "\"Though he avoided outright endorsement of the view, fifth-century Church Father Saint Augustine was clearly familiar with the theory of the spherical e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e3/saint-augustine-328_augustine_though-he-avoided-outright-endorsement-o_2467712.jpg" --- # Though he avoided outright endorsement of the view… ![“Though he avoided outright endorsement of the view, fifth-century Church Father Saint Augustine was clearly familiar with the theory of the spherical earth: "They [those who believe that "there are men on the other side of the earth"] fail to observe that even if the world is held to be global or…” quote by Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e3/saint-augustine-328_augustine_though-he-avoided-outright-endorsement-o_2467712.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e3/saint-augustine-328_augustine_though-he-avoided-outright-endorsement-o_2467712.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e3/saint-augustine-328_augustine_though-he-avoided-outright-endorsement-o_2467712.jpg) > “Though he avoided outright endorsement of the view, fifth-century Church Father Saint Augustine was clearly familiar with the theory of the spherical earth: "They \[those who believe that "there are men on the other side of the earth"\] fail to observe that even if the world is held to be global or rounded in shape, or if some process of reasoning should prove this to be the case, it would still not necessarily follow that the land on the opposite side is not covered by masses of water."” [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Augustine acknowledges the idea of a spherical Earth but cautions that this does not guarantee land on the opposite side, as water may dominate. **In simple terms:** Spherical Earth doesn’t ensure opposite land; water may cover it. Key Takeaway Consider the limits of reasoning about geography. Themes theology geography philosophy Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type historical analytical When to use this quote - historical debate - educational curricula - scientific illustration Key Concepts spherical Earth reasoning limits Questions to Reflect On - Does geometry alone prove land distribution? - How do we balance theory with observation? A Different Perspective Assumes water coverage without empirical evidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/augustine/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Church fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-fathers/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposites/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Reasoning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasoning/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“We are sun and moon, dear friend; we are sea and land... each the other’s opposite and complement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/we-are-sun-and-moon-dear-friend-we-are-sea-and-land-each-the-other-s/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Patience is the companion of wisdom. --Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/patience-is-the-companion-of-wisdom-saint-augustine/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [O Lord, help me to be pure, but not yet. 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Earth holds up to her master no fruit like the finished man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-von-humboldt/government-religion-property-books-are-nothing-but-the-scaffolding-to/) [Wilhelm von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-von-humboldt/) > [The great men of the earth are but the marking-stones on the road of humanity; they are the priests of its religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuseppe-mazzini/the-great-men-of-the-earth-are-but-the-marking-stones-on-the-road-of/) [Giuseppe Mazzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giuseppe-mazzini/) ## More by Saint Augustine > [Lust indulged became habit, and habit unresisted became necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/lust-indulged-became-habit-and-habit-unresisted-became-necessity/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [The playthings of our elders are called business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/the-playthings-of-our-elders-are-called-business/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Do what you can and pray for what you cannot yet do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/do-what-you-can-and-pray-for-what-you-cannot-yet-do/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [For I did not know that the soul needs to be enlightened by light from outside itself, so that it can participate in truth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/for-i-did-not-know-that-the-soul-needs-to-be-enlightened-by-light/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [My mother spoke of Christ to my father, by her feminine and childlike virtues, and, after having borne his violence without a murmur or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/my-mother-spoke-of-christ-to-my-father-by-her-feminine-and-childlike/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Wicked sons do not have the Holy Ghost in the same way as do beloved sons, and yet they do have Baptism. 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You give it to the poor, and God receives it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/god-has-no-need-of-your-money-but-the-poor-have-you-give-it-to-the/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Nothing conquers except truth and the victory of truth is love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/nothing-conquers-except-truth-and-the-victory-of-truth-is-love/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [“O God, who is ever at work and ever at rest. 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He either permits it to happen, or He brings it about Himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/nothing-therefore-happens-unless-the-omnipotent-wills-it-to-happen-he/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [The reward of patience Is patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/the-reward-of-patience-is-patience/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) [Explore all 672 Saint Augustine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) ## More Augustine quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [ Again, I hear almost everyday from atheists who write off religion as primitive, premodern nonsense. 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