I look up a definition of the word, first hits say 'continuous landmass surrounded by seas', and in the SAME SENTENCE it mentions Asia, which ostensibly would not be one by that standard, as a continent.
Why does nothing online about continents make any sense?
Because precedent and convention say that Asia should be a single continent, but Europe should also be a continent. A consistent, coherent definition of continent that achieves those two outcomes is basically impossible.
Pretty much this. You didn't need a rigerous scientific definition of "continent" because its mostly self evident and not disputed and been that way since the first maps were drawn.
As geology matured as a branch of science, people started to figure out the processed that created the landmasses, and then realized they were moving around, and now you have the outline of a life history of these landmasses, and you have to start introducing technical classifications to something that's been established.
That being said, if it wasn't for western civilization being the dominant global power europe would be seen as a large peninsula or subcontinent of asia.
>its mostly self evident and not disputed
The boundaries were a subject of dispute, even in the time of Herodotus. >If then we judge aright of these matters, the opinion of the Ionians about Egypt is not sound: but if the judgment of the Ionians is right, I declare that neither the Hellenes nor the Ionians themselves know how to reckon since they say that the whole earth is made up of three divisions, Europe, Asia, and Libya: for they ought to count in addition to these the Delta of Egypt, since it belongs neither to Asia nor to Libya; for at least it cannot be the river Nile by this reckoning which divides Asia from Libya, > As to Europe, however, it is clearly not known by any, either as regards the parts which are towards the rising sun or those towards the North, whether it be surrounded by sea: but in length it is known to stretch along by both the other divisions. And I am not able to understand for what reason it is that to the Earth, which is one, three different names are given derived from women, and why there were set as boundaries to divide it the river Nile of Egypt and the Phasis in Colchis (or as some say the Maiotian river Tanaïs and the Kimmerian ferry); nor can I learn who those persons were who made the boundaries
The Nile and Don (Tanais) survived as boundaries into the Medieval Era.
The attached pic is one where the Africa-Asia boundary is the Red Sea, the Europe-Africa boundary is the Mediterranean, and the Europe-Asia boundary is conveniently not labeled. (though Turkey is in Europe). In reflection of religion, many of them seriously thought that everything was centered on Jerusalem as part of the divine order of the cosmos.
>invention
We didn't invent continents, we discovered them.
Defining the basics of molecular science doesn't mean that you can arbitrarily decide that your house is made out of a single giant molecule.
The idea of continents is an invention. There isn't a natural reality that they're merely reflecting, like the difference between chemical elements.
Same thing with planets. They didn't 'discover' that Pluto wasn't a planet.
there is absolutely no justification for calling europe a distinct continent. if it's that arbitrary just exclude everything from the balkans eastwards from europe while you're at it.
you have no clue about the real shape of the world you inhabit unless you explore it yourself. The pacific ocean isn’t empty btw there are entire continents the government doesn’t want you to know about there
the continent is called America and has always been called Amercia, not Americas, or north/south America, just America since the 1500's.
the panama canal doesn't work as you think, is not a hole in the ground filled with water for ships to cross from one side to other like the suez canal, it's a long waterway with gates that let water in and out and elevates ships over the mountains little by little, while one gate closes and fills with water the other one empties, at no point can you open all the gates and make a single river like thing that crosses from one side to the other, making it impossible for the continent to be separated at all. if humans abandoned it, it would be claimed by the forest and regrow into a jungle in a matter of months or years and the canal will exist no more, that's why it needs constant maintenance.
Sourh and North America, unlike Asia and Europe are 2 vompleatly diffrent landmasses, with diffrent histories. Only recently conecting (Africa is for far longer longer conected to Asia then them
And no, the panama channel is not the border. It is the Serranía del Darién.
The only reason why they are a seen (by latino morons) is because they colonized it and genocided the native people there. Making everything from Mexico to Argentina the same moron culture.
There's a distinct cultural difference between Europe and Asia because of a certain mountain range. What I don't understand is why the Middle East is bundled with Asia if the distinction of what makes a continent is made purely by "culture". Anything out of picrel shouldn't be considered "Asia" then.
> because of a certain mountain range
That's a fairly recent convention. >if the distinction of what makes a continent is made purely by "culture".
It's not. There is no coherent definition that achieves any of the models currently used.
More like Ural hills. Few parts of it are what people actually living in mountains would call mountains, but Russia is flat as a flounder, so anything higher than Ivan is a mountain.
sub-continent, but spaniarabia and moortugal are not Europe and are actually Upper Africa
Historically? Yes!
Physically? Nope.
>Is Europe a continent?
it is by convention, from a geological standpoint, it's clearly a peninsula of Asia, it's a sub continent, same as India..
It's set apart from the rest of the world because it's the home of the greatest race the world has ever known!
Yes! The story of human accomplishment is essentially the story of Europeans!
Cultural divide between Europe and Assia is deeper than any ocean and harder to climb than any mountain.
No, not really. The two types of cultures flow into each other seamlessly with the balkans and Turkey being the meeting point.
No, it's far west Asia.
I look up a definition of the word, first hits say 'continuous landmass surrounded by seas', and in the SAME SENTENCE it mentions Asia, which ostensibly would not be one by that standard, as a continent.
Why does nothing online about continents make any sense?
Because precedent and convention say that Asia should be a single continent, but Europe should also be a continent. A consistent, coherent definition of continent that achieves those two outcomes is basically impossible.
Pretty much this. You didn't need a rigerous scientific definition of "continent" because its mostly self evident and not disputed and been that way since the first maps were drawn.
As geology matured as a branch of science, people started to figure out the processed that created the landmasses, and then realized they were moving around, and now you have the outline of a life history of these landmasses, and you have to start introducing technical classifications to something that's been established.
That being said, if it wasn't for western civilization being the dominant global power europe would be seen as a large peninsula or subcontinent of asia.
>its mostly self evident and not disputed
The boundaries were a subject of dispute, even in the time of Herodotus.
>If then we judge aright of these matters, the opinion of the Ionians about Egypt is not sound: but if the judgment of the Ionians is right, I declare that neither the Hellenes nor the Ionians themselves know how to reckon since they say that the whole earth is made up of three divisions, Europe, Asia, and Libya: for they ought to count in addition to these the Delta of Egypt, since it belongs neither to Asia nor to Libya; for at least it cannot be the river Nile by this reckoning which divides Asia from Libya,
> As to Europe, however, it is clearly not known by any, either as regards the parts which are towards the rising sun or those towards the North, whether it be surrounded by sea: but in length it is known to stretch along by both the other divisions. And I am not able to understand for what reason it is that to the Earth, which is one, three different names are given derived from women, and why there were set as boundaries to divide it the river Nile of Egypt and the Phasis in Colchis (or as some say the Maiotian river Tanaïs and the Kimmerian ferry); nor can I learn who those persons were who made the boundaries
The Nile and Don (Tanais) survived as boundaries into the Medieval Era.
The attached pic is one where the Africa-Asia boundary is the Red Sea, the Europe-Africa boundary is the Mediterranean, and the Europe-Asia boundary is conveniently not labeled. (though Turkey is in Europe). In reflection of religion, many of them seriously thought that everything was centered on Jerusalem as part of the divine order of the cosmos.
No and Arabia is part of Africa, not Asia; the African-Asian border being the Zagros mountains.
Obviously
The concept of a continent is a European invention to begin with so Europe is a continent if we want it to be.
>invention
We didn't invent continents, we discovered them.
Defining the basics of molecular science doesn't mean that you can arbitrarily decide that your house is made out of a single giant molecule.
*laughs at you from my monatomic mansion*
The idea of continents is an invention. There isn't a natural reality that they're merely reflecting, like the difference between chemical elements.
Same thing with planets. They didn't 'discover' that Pluto wasn't a planet.
continents don't exist
there is absolutely no justification for calling europe a distinct continent. if it's that arbitrary just exclude everything from the balkans eastwards from europe while you're at it.
oy vey
>just exclude everything from the balkans eastwards from europe while you're at it.
I already do.
But that way it's way too huge.
No. Here is a real map of the world btw
to think I could have visited mighty AVSTRALIA with a shirt boat trip all along...
you have no clue about the real shape of the world you inhabit unless you explore it yourself. The pacific ocean isn’t empty btw there are entire continents the government doesn’t want you to know about there
>delete africa
>replace it with africa-but-even-worse
t-thanks
This would be a strict improvement in almost every sense of the word.
Ah yes, the niponese influence on Québec must've been felt my entire life I just wasn't paying attention I guess.
>the michigan empire controls nearly all the world's fresh water supply
as it should be
>if you will it, it is no dream
>A perfect world doesn't ex-
>No Russia
>No American west coast
>No China
no because europe and asia landmasses are touching and have no disctintive separations. that's why it should be called Eurasia
yeah
what's this gotta do with nature
it's common sense
>no because north america and south america are touching that's why it should be called the americas
well it was until the panema canel but come on
the continent is called America and has always been called Amercia, not Americas, or north/south America, just America since the 1500's.
the panama canal doesn't work as you think, is not a hole in the ground filled with water for ships to cross from one side to other like the suez canal, it's a long waterway with gates that let water in and out and elevates ships over the mountains little by little, while one gate closes and fills with water the other one empties, at no point can you open all the gates and make a single river like thing that crosses from one side to the other, making it impossible for the continent to be separated at all. if humans abandoned it, it would be claimed by the forest and regrow into a jungle in a matter of months or years and the canal will exist no more, that's why it needs constant maintenance.
Sourh and North America, unlike Asia and Europe are 2 vompleatly diffrent landmasses, with diffrent histories. Only recently conecting (Africa is for far longer longer conected to Asia then them
And no, the panama channel is not the border. It is the Serranía del Darién.
The only reason why they are a seen (by latino morons) is because they colonized it and genocided the native people there. Making everything from Mexico to Argentina the same moron culture.
There's a distinct cultural difference between Europe and Asia because of a certain mountain range. What I don't understand is why the Middle East is bundled with Asia if the distinction of what makes a continent is made purely by "culture". Anything out of picrel shouldn't be considered "Asia" then.
> because of a certain mountain range
That's a fairly recent convention.
>if the distinction of what makes a continent is made purely by "culture".
It's not. There is no coherent definition that achieves any of the models currently used.
Urals-water-Caucasus-water-Bosporus (also water)
>no disctintive separations
this is only valid if we make itali a seperate continent because of the alps.
>italians aren't european
sounds good to me
More like Ural hills. Few parts of it are what people actually living in mountains would call mountains, but Russia is flat as a flounder, so anything higher than Ivan is a mountain.
nah, it is a remnant of a strait between two continents. see
So Arabia and India are continents too
Well, they're considered subcontinents.