Final answer:
a. Anaximander was the first person to propose that the earth is not flat.The first person to propose that the earth is not flat was Anaximander, a student of Thales.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first person to propose that the earth is not flat was Anaximander, a student of Thales. He posited that the earth is held suspended in space by a perfectly symmetrical balance of forces, rather than floating on water as his teacher had suggested. Anaximander also created the first known map of the world that attempted to accurately depict distances and relationships between places.
The question of who is considered the first person to propose that the earth is not flat<\/strong> centers on early Greek philosophy. Among notable figures, Pythagoras<\/strong> is often credited with the idea that the Earth could be spherical, as this conception fits with his understanding of perfect forms<\/em>. However, it is Aristotle<\/strong> who provided observational evidence supporting the concept of a spherical Earth. Aristotle's observations included the circular shadow cast on the Moon during a lunar eclipse and changes in visible star constellations at different latitudes.<\/p>
In summary, while Pythagoras may have conceptually proposed the spherical nature of Earth, it was Aristotle who furthered the idea with empirical observations making the concept widely accepted in ancient Greek thought.<\/p>