The opening of the text introduces the fundamental idea that humanity exists at the intersection of land and water, emphasizing the duality and interconnectedness of these elements in influencing human life and culture. Bölsche reflects on the impact of water on the physical and cultural development of human societies, mentioning ancient flood myths from various cultures while contrasting them with geological evidence. He begins the argument that while myths often convey experiences of local floods, they fail to accurately represent the geological history of Earth's vast changes over millennia. The text sets the stage for a deeper exploration of these themes and prepares the reader for a scientific discourse on the history and evolution of the Earth's surface. (This is an automatically generated summary.)