What then?
2006-07-01 08:27:59 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
Practically speaking, No, there will always be new insights into things, cultures and values will change, and new problems will develop needing solutions, as well as new innovations, requiring new words in our vocabularies.
Logically speaking, if you mean asked and answered, then it is still true.
This is my interpretation based on Godel's' 1931 proof concerning formal systems that "the consistency of a sufficiently powerful theory could not be established by means which could be formalized by the theory itself. ( Curry, Foundations of Mathematical Logic, Dover 1977).
(I was looking for a paradox regarding a library of infinite volumes, but I couldn't find it.)
Here is a simple although boring demonstration,
Just ask:
Is 1 a prime number?
Is 2 a prime number?
etc.
Since the primes are infinite, we will never have all the answers to each individual question.
2006-07-01 11:19:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
If no new words or concepts were ever invented, then a finite probability could be found from the number of words (and possible punctuation and vocal inflection) in the english (or any other) language. However, we DO invent new words and new meanings for words. Every time you added a new word or meaning, the number of possible questions would increase astronomically. So essentially, as long as humans do not lose creativity, that point will never come.
2006-07-01 08:35:59 · answer #2 · answered by J-Dub 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nope, since the same questions keep getting asked over and over, they don't get to any new questions. I no new questions are asked, then you will never reach a point where all possible questions have been asked.
2006-07-01 08:34:09 · answer #3 · answered by mapleguy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
According to Isaiah, that happened about 6,000 years ago. "There is nothing new under the sun". Perhaps technology and advances may change. But the questions have already been pondered. I suppose because stuggle and difficulty is common to all peoples of all dispensations.
2006-07-01 08:35:28 · answer #4 · answered by goldinthemhills2000 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, infinite knowledge is not possible. Someone will always have a question or seek understanding. It is mankind's nature to discover and ask questions.
At least I hope we don't become a bunch of mindless zombies, satisfied with our existence and limited knowledge.
2006-07-01 08:30:28 · answer #5 · answered by Mack Man 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i doubt it. it seems that ppl keep asking the same questions over and over, sometimes word for word. i think that ppl will get bored with this or yahoo will move on to something else before the last possible questions are asked.
any guesses on what that last possible question would be?
2006-07-01 08:33:01 · answer #6 · answered by midnightrose 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I guess eventually. I have thought about a similar situation with music. Eventually, every possible melody will be used. But then again there are all the remakes.
2006-07-01 08:30:26 · answer #7 · answered by Karl B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. As civilization and technology advance, it opens up more and more questions to be asked. The process is self-developing and never-ending.
2006-07-01 08:33:06 · answer #8 · answered by stephen p 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Then would probably be several billion years from now (even rewording one question can yeild hundreds of results) and even so, we'd start over (people always ask, even if its already been answered)
2006-07-01 08:29:41 · answer #9 · answered by DonSoze 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, people will just continue asking the same stupid questions over and over again just for their own amusement and to earn points of course.....
2006-07-03 13:01:05 · answer #10 · answered by yellow_beaver 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋