How and why is there infinity or concept of infinity?

Answer 1

Because the human brain can not possibly know everything's end. Numbers, for example... WHat's the highest number you know? take that number and add one. add 4 million. Everything keeps going and going.

It's just a way to let people know that there are some things that never end.

Answer 2

The following is a short excerpt from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinity

Early Indian views of infinity:

Along with the early conceptions of infinite space proposed by the Taoist philosophers in ancient China, one of the earliest known documented knowledge of infinity was also presented in ancient India in the Yajur Veda (c. 1200–900 BC) which states that "if you remove a part from infinity or add a part to infinity, still what remains is infinity".

The Indian Jaina mathematical text Surya Prajnapti (c. 400 BC) classifies all numbers into three sets: enumerable, innumerable and infinite. Each of these was further subdivided into three orders:

Enumerable: lowest, intermediate and highest.
Innumerable: nearly innumerable, truly innumerable and innumerably innumerable.
Infinite: nearly infinite, truly infinite, infinitely infinite.
The Jains were the first to discard the idea that all infinites were the same or equal. They recognized different types of infinities: infinite in one and two directions (one dimension), infinite in area (two dimensions), infinite everywhere (three dimensions), and infinite perpetually (infinite number of dimensions).



Early European views of infinity:

In Europe, the traditional view derives from Aristotle:

"... It is always possible to think of a larger number: for the number of times a magnitude can be bisected is infinite. Hence the infinite is potential, never actual; the number of parts that can be taken always surpasses any assigned number." [Physics 207b8]
This is often called potential infinity; however there are two ideas mixed up with this. One is that it is always possible to find a number of things that surpasses any given number, even if there are not actually such things. The other is that we may quantify over infinite sets without restriction. For example, , which reads, "for any integer n, there exists an integer m > n such that P(m)". The second view is found in a clearer form by medieval writers such as William of Ockham:

Sed omne continuum est actualiter existens. Igitur quaelibet pars sua est vere existens in rerum natura. Sed partes continui sunt infinitae quia non tot quin plures, igitur partes infinitae sunt actualiter existentes.
But every continuum is actually existent. Therefore any of its parts is really existent in nature. But the parts of the continuum are infinite because there are not so many that there are not more, and therefore the infinite parts are actually existent.
The parts are actually there, in some sense. However, on this view, no infinite magnitude can have a number, for whatever number we can imagine, there is always a larger one: "There are not so many (in number) that there are no more." Aquinas also argued against the idea that infinity could be in any sense complete, or a totality.

Answer 3

Infinity is basically the idea of no limit. Be it numbers or distance....it's the same concept.

One use of it is in mathematical proofs. It is used widely in statistics and limits of eqations. Which can then be translated to endless uses in the world; such as manufacturing, actuary and rocket science.

As for the reason why...well...it's because the population needs/wants to find out about stuff. You could ask why we don't all just sit around with our thumbs up our asses - but we need something to pass the time!

Answer 4

people have to try to explain what they don't understand ( it's programed in

i hope you know that infinity as a reality is impossible - an infinite anything would exclude the existence of anything but itself as it would have to occupy all space and time to be infinite - so think of it as a concept not a reality

THANKS FOR THE THUMB i love it when i lose people it just proves that all that time in school wasn't wasted

as for the math answer above it is correct that numbers CAN go on forever but those numbers don't exist ( even mentally ) they just have the potential of existence so they are not infinite !

Answer 5

When the beginning becomes the end and the end the beginning, you have crossed the threshold of infinity. It is like sailing toward the horizon that you never manage to reach, for where it ends another one begins.

Answer 6

How- invented to discribe the universe.
Why- Somebody asked how big is the universe?

The concept of a constant. Without End or Beginning.

Answer 7

I think we develop concepts as we need them.
When we started using counting numbers (1,2,3) we didn't need infinity.
When we learned to add counting numbers, we were still OK: (a+b) is not infinity.
When we learned to subtract, we needed a zero, and negative numbers (a-a=0).
When we learned to divide, we needed INFINITY:
a/0 = infinity!

Answer 8

because there is an infinite. i dunno how exactly. as for why, wtf X3? i don't fully understand human's need to explain everything. sometimes there is no why, no reason. nothing that you'd understand anyway. or any human for that matter. its easy to grasp the concept of infinity. its actually common sense the instant you figure out 'numbers'. but the idea... not a single human in existence, past, or future did/dose/will fully understand the idea itself. not until you figure out a way to get out of your evolutionary stalemate ;p. i mean no disrespect btw. i'm just saying that the idea in its entirety is out of everyones league for now, though it dose exist. just be content that some of you understand the concept ^.^. *pads off*

Answer 9

Hmmmmmm....infinity comes in mathematics, in calculus. we need an upper limit thats why infinity is there. if you hv studied calculus then u wud know why infinity is needed. umm im sorry i really cant answer your question!!! :(( hehehe

Answer 10

You might want to post this in the philosophy section to compare your answer.. I attempted to do a Physics and Philosophy degree, they're sure to think of something new and possibly contradicting!