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Infinity
Curtis - Jan 10, 2004
  Curtis Jan 10, 2004
I'm tired, and my mind started wandering. I wanted to get this all down in case I forget it. I may later regret this.

There is no such thing as infinity. At least, infinity has no relation to reality. If any single thing physical thing in the universe was infinite, I could not be boring you to death with my ramblings; because there simply would not be room for us to exist. This single infinite thing - it could only be one thing and it would be an atom - would consume everything and be everything. As this is not the case, I think I can safely assume that nothing in the universe is infinite.

Infinity is an abstract concept, strictly the realm of mathematicians and numbers. Most mathematical theories and concepts have some link to infinity. However, as there is in fact no such thing as infinity what bearing can mathematics have on our lives? It must be the case that mathematics as we know it is utterly meaningless in our finite universe, for the assumptions that the theories are based on are incorrect; or at least have no influence on us.

You now have $0.00 in your bank account, since all calculations are now proved non-existant.

 mal Jan 10, 2004
No, you've got it wrong.

The 1990s was the time for the Guru.

*listens to Infinity*

 CrazyGoon Jan 10, 2004
No infinity, eh? Not even if I turn an '8' sidewards? :devil

 slinga Jan 10, 2004
Einstein once said that there were only two things that were infinite: the universe and human stupidity.

Here's the quote: "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. "

 IceDigger Jan 10, 2004
I'm just glad I'm not a mathmetician. :smash

 it290 Jan 10, 2004
It's always been a mistake of people to assume that mathematics is a 'real' set of rules -- it isn't, and Gödel proved it. The equation 2+2=4 has just as much similarity to reality as the concept of infinity, it's just easier for people to grasp and deal with. All mathematics really is, IMHO, is a construct- on that is extremely practical, but never infallible. If you're willing to accept this then you'll realize that it does in fact have a great deal of relevance in everyone's life.

 Gallstaff Jan 10, 2004
This is sort of the same problem I ran into with trying to time travel but I wont get into that.

I believe this is very interesting but you cant think of infity as an actual THING of physical properties. Infitity is an abstract concept such as language or thought. The idea of something being infinate is that it always lasts. I find that a big part of the idea of inifity has to do with religion. Many religions believe that nothing ever actually ends, it just is sent to a different place. So for example, the soul is eternal or infinate. It never dies or decays, it is always ther in some form.

A more practical idea would be water for example. So theres the first water on earth. It gets hot and the water evaporates. It then rains back down and freezes in the ice age. After it's over, the glaciers and whatnots are turned into large lakes and oceans. Then it's evaporated back up and rains down.

What I'm getting that is that infity IS in the world, but things cant stay infiniate in their original form.

 racketboy Jan 10, 2004

  
	
	

		
		

			Originally posted by IceMan2k@Jan 10, 2004 @ 03:05 PM



 I'm just glad I'm not a mathmetician.  :smash


I second that remark!

 mtxblau Jan 10, 2004
I agree with Galstaff.

Since we can't grasp the concept of infinity it's easier to write it off as non-existant or implausible, as it doesn't really fit in any preconceived notions or categories.

It's much like the concept of God. Without starting a war, a lot of deification methods are in place so that God can be conceptualized in some form (otherwise it's just too overwhelming to grasp).

Trying to explain infinity in our/your own reality is like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. It's simply a matter of philosophy (as is the number zero, since that doesn't appear in our reality either).

 joe81 Jan 10, 2004
i thought energy was infinit since it can not be destroyed

and math is incredibly usefull since humans apply abstracts to real things all the time to make sense of their lives

but fuck it when it comes down to it you can't prove anything since everything is just a perception.

and since perceptions are created in the minds of everyone who the fuck can prove that something is right?

 Gallstaff Jan 10, 2004
Good point.

What i find interesting is that if everyone was born, then thrown into soitary confinement for 10 years and let out into the world at age 10, it would be a very different place.

Black would be white, up would be down, madonna would still be hot.

Its all in the way we look at things. Who says 2+2=4? I say 2+2=hydrogen

Whose going to stop me?

 Pearl Jammzz Jan 10, 2004
I can make many things infinite.......my PAR has insane abilities, haha :cheers

 Runik Jan 10, 2004
Heh ... it's infini-tea time

 Curtis Jan 11, 2004

  
	
	

		
		

			Originally posted by racketboy+Jan 10, 2004 @ 06:08 AM-->
QUOTE(racketboy @ Jan 10, 2004 @ 06:08 AM)