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Existance of Infinity
Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 1:14 pm
by Ukranianlys
Just a simple question that brought upon a mountain of thinking. How can I prove infinite can exist? Rational of course
Re: Existance of Infinity
Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 1:28 pm
by jlay
Just tell someone to start counting, and let you know when they reach the end.
There are a couple of ways to examine the topic. Why are you wanting to prove infinity?
Re: Existance of Infinity
Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 1:59 pm
by Ukranianlys
Oh someone had mentioned how can god exist if infinity can not be proven. I didn't question my faith, I just thought it was an interesting view that I didn't know the answer to
Re: Existance of Infinity
Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2012 12:10 am
by GreyDeSilvisanctis
Well, Ukranianlys, obviously this has something to do with Math. I'm not a math major but infinity does exist. We just can't fully explain it because it's very hard to observe it.
Maybe what that person meant is something concerning limits. Take for example, the limit of 1/x as x approaches 0. The answer is DNE or Does Not Exist and this is because if we take the limit from the right approach, we get positive infinity but if we take limit from the left approach, we get negative infinity. The limit does not exist at that point because the two limits do not equal.
~Grey
Re: Existance of Infinity
Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2012 8:49 am
by 1over137
Ukranianlys wrote:Just a simple question that brought upon a mountain of thinking. How can I prove infinite can exist? Rational of course
Set of integers is infinite. Proof?
Assume integers are finite and name the last integer N. But N+1 is also integer and therefore the assumption is wrong. Therefore integers are infinite.
Re: Existance of Infinity
Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2012 9:55 am
by jlay
1over137 wrote:Assume integers are finite and name the last integer N. But N+1 is also integer and therefore the assumption is wrong. Therefore integers are infinite.
I'm not a physicist but that sounds flawed. if you ASSUME one is the LAST, then how can you add "1" to the last. By adding one it negates any notion that it is the last of something. Further, it's an assumption, and assumptions don't exist physically to add '1" to.
I wouldn't say God exist infinitely. He exists eternally. God exists transcendent of time. Time is required to count. If you are counting then how could you ever get to the current number, if there are an infinite amount of numbers preceeding the current one?
Re: Existance of Infinity
Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2012 11:19 am
by 1over137
jlay wrote:1over137 wrote:Assume integers are finite and name the last integer N. But N+1 is also integer and therefore the assumption is wrong. Therefore integers are infinite.
I'm not a physicist but that sounds flawed. if you ASSUME one is the LAST, then how can you add "1" to the last. By adding one it negates any notion that it is the last of something. Further, it's an assumption, and assumptions don't exist physically to add '1" to.
I wouldn't say God exist infinitely. He exists eternally. God exists transcendent of time. Time is required to count. If you are counting then how could you ever get to the current number, if there are an infinite amount of numbers preceeding the current one?
Imagine that you have numbers 1,2,3,4,5. Five is 'last'. But 5 + 1 = 6. So, 5 is really not last. Similarly N is not last in my previous example. I proved 5 is not last. I also proved N is not last.
Re: Existance of Infinity
Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2012 11:35 am
by jlay
"Imagine."
Further, we really aren't talking about infinity in the same sense. Time is change. Of course you can imagine a number line going negative one way and positive another. But infinite regress regarding time has huge problems. And so, this doesn't really address the OP.