Would it be any easier to accept the universe as finite as opposed to infinite?

Question

I just wanted to see what other people thought. To me thinking that there is a boundary is just as hard to believe as there being no end to it all. Just stuff thats fun to think about. Kind of like the beginning of time, how could there be, how could there not be.

Answer 1

The universe is finite, as it is expanding...how could it expand if it is already infinite? Space does not exist until the universe has expanded in to it.

The universe's expansion is on a knife-edge as to whether it will continue to expand or will eventually succumb to its own gravity and collapse into a "Big Crunch".

Current research indicates it will continue to expand forever (getting more and more cold and inhospitable to life), and will become "infinite" only after an infinite amount of time, which, by definition, will never happen. That does my head in...

Answer 2

That's like asking if it'd be easier to accept that physical quantities are discrete as opposed to continuous. Mathematical infinity is an abstract concept, as the dichotomous notion of discreteness and continuity. They're just different ways of looking at the same thing. For example, it may very well be that insofar as physical laws and phenomenon goes, it makes no difference at all if the universe is truly infinite or merely finite.

Answer 3

Well....it Might be easier, but where did easy ever get us? Easy got us the society we have today...which could be thought of as a less than good thing. So let's not focus on whether a finte universe is easier to comprehend as opposed to an infinate one. Let's simply see where the science takes us and be open minded about all the theories out there. Isn't that what makes science beautiful?

And besides, in my opinion, it's more FUN to view the universe and infinte...doesn't that stretch your thinking?? Of course it might be wrong...but think of the possibilities either way! =)

Answer 4

Very few people realize how difficult is to measure distances in the Universe, at the range of billion light years. As distance increases ambiguity does the same...so finally only can be detected that there was a source of electromagnetic radiation which emitted a radiation billion years ago...that radiation may have suffered to many alterations on its way, decrease and increase of the velocity of propagation, interferences, "bending" of its path and so on...by all means the outer edge of detection is finite...however it cannot be assumed that there is nothing beyond that, on the contrary: the isotropy of the space and the space expansion lead us to the supposition that it cannot has and "edge".

Answer 5

Your mising the point a little.

The universe has a finite size but its infinite in extent! Meaning it has no boundries. Like the surface of a sphere. You can just keep walking around it without every reaching the end. But the sphere has a finite surface area.

Answer 6

I don't think I would accept the universe no matter what.

but seriously, if there's a boundary or if it's finite but closed off like a sphere, then you've got all kinds of topological issues to worry about. it would be much simpler if it were just a simple 3-dimensional space that went off infinitely in all directions.

Answer 7

i go right with stephen hawking's theory. yes, i do believe that the universe is finite.

Answer 8

As a multi or a singular

Answer 9

What we think doesn't affect reality so it doesn't really make anything easier.