infinite things?

Question

I don't quite understand how something can be "infinite". How do we even go this far with trying to comprehend infinity? Why name something when you cannot grasp it, or understand it? How can we ever know if something never ends, when we cannot even prove that it exists in the first place?

A concept? Why bother even giving it names, and detailing it, when IT cannot be understood. Humans boggle me.

Answer 1

'Something' cannot be infinite. Infinite is not a thing. It is a way of looking at things that are not physical. It is a concept. An abstract.

[add] Thanks Joey! *bows*

[2nd add] Ooh Boggle!!! I love that game!! Can I have some candy? Oh crap. I forgot to take my meds.

[3rd add] Well if they didn't give it a name or bother to think about it, like you have, then we wouldn't be having this rather nice discussion right now.

[4th add] and apparently, you are the only one in the room that is having trouble grappling the concept.

[5th add] You see, concepts lead to ideas, which lead to theories, which lead to inventions, which lead to products, which lead to businesses, which lead to sales, which leads to you having a job, hopefully.

Answer 2

You want a concrete concept of infinity? Try dividing 20 by 6, and you will get the same number over and over until the last decimal of your calculator, yet that's not the last possible figure of the answer. That's infinity! You know it has no limit, and that you can never get the boundaries of it, so you call it infinite. What's so hard to understand or grasp about the word infinity?

Answer 3

I would disagree on a few things you have stated. first, I think we do grasp and understand infinity. and second, we can prove its existance as far as we are capable to prove existances of concepts/thoughts.

Examples to consider for each. We,humanity, grasp and understand infinity within the concept of counting. in our common base 10 counting system, it is understood that a second intager is added after 9 and the first repeats. it is also understood that you can have as many numeral spaces nessary to reflect a count. You comprehend infinity in knowing that no matter what number you have there is always a next grater in the cycle.Thus counting is an example of something we know,and understand, that is infinant. It is a cycle that never ends... and we know it. As for proof of its existance...That is a philosophicle question in which you you would first have to substanciate reality. For now though... I would say, If you beleive thoughts/concepts exist, then infinity exists.

Answer 4

Our lack of ability to fully grasp the concept has no bearing on whether it exists or not. There are lots of things in nature that we do not (yet) fully grasp.

Infinity definitely exists, at least in concept if not reality. For instance in math, 1/n approaches infinity as n approaches zero. In physics, there are no known reasons why time will not continue for infinity, even if it had a finite beginning. And in cosmology, some theories predict that our universe may be only one part of a larger, infinite (and infinitely growing) multiverse. Also, the matter at the center of a black hole may be of infinite density.

There are even different varieties of infinity. Check out the link below for more info.

Answer 5

Try reading "The Man Who Knew Infinity: A Life of the Genius Ramanujan," Robert Kanigel, "The Man Who Loved Only Numbers," Paul Hoffman, "Looking into the Invisible," O. M. Aivanhov, "Climb the Highest Mountain," Mark Prophet, "The Reincarnation of Edgar Cayce?", Free and Wilcock, http://www.divinecosmos.com and "Men in White Apparel," Ann Ree Colton.

regards,

j.

Answer 6

you generally know the meaning of the things of the world by defining them. but at some points your power to define them does not work. it fails there. you call such areas as infinity.

for a Neanderthal the number of 1000 would be similar to infinity. today it is not. today other dimensions are infinity. for example the other end of the universe is at an infinite distance. may be tomorrow with a computer of greater ability you may come to know that distance. then that distance would not be an infinity.

so infinity is a relative concept. related to you mental, technical and scientific development etc.

Answer 7

Indeed, I happen to agree with Gee on many of his ideas, he has a great mind, and I think he has the potential to be one of the next modern philosophers, I'd buy his books. I haven't seen something that is infinite, but we can imagine a concept such as time or numbers not having any beginning or end, so we conclude with these premises that it is infininte. We have concpets and theories to explain things, including the things that we can not definatly prove with empirical evidence. Hope this rambling on made any sense, keep thinking Gee!

Answer 8

going by your reasoning, we should stop living because we cannot prove anything around us.

scientists do not have truths, they have hypothesis that are tested beyond doubt. Descartes himself said that none of our senses can be trusted and Pascal also mentioned that there is no way for us to tell whether we are dreaming or not.

it is the empowering ability of rationality that makes us human. and rationality enables us to creates things that are physically non-existent or otherwise abstract. art is abstract, and so is imagination; use of language; the social constructs that are so evident in the world.

your logic reminds me of Wittgenstein's Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, which states that we should not speak of anything abstract since metaphysics lie outside the realm of sense.

furthermore, infinity is not abstract beyond understanding, it is a gauge, an upper limit for which we measure things by. Like the word "most", it is superlative, and you can never really know whether your use or understanding of "most" is correct or can be proven right.

Answer 9

so you're bothered with the word infinity.

other answers are right. it is the term used on something cannot be, shall we say, calculated by the human brain, or cannot be seen "yet" by the naked eye.

it was never proven, yes. but i think it is better that way. i don't want to bother myself thinking of what can be seen millions and billions of miles or decimals away from the answer.

Answer 10

each little thing interior of infinity is endless it self. Our minds that separates the content textile of infinity is the source of what's believed to be finite. The vacancy of area as endless because it rather is infinitesimal. rely, this is perceived as finite is made out of subatomic debris of sunshine this is endless besides. as a result each little thing is endless.