Is the concept of infinity real or imaginary?

[untermensche]

Is it even possible to imagine a real infinity?

Can something be infinitely small? Infinitely large?

Can someone be infinitely wise or infinitely strong?

Can we generate infinite power?

We consider something real if it can be experienced in some way.

And experiencing an amount of time is not experiencing in any way infinite time.

 

[Kharakov]

You cannot find infinity anywhere in nature.

It's everywhere. It can be thought of as the eternal now.

It is a mathematical concept and exists by definition. Like zero. You can't observe zero either.

The zero length present just went over your head.

 

[Phil Scott]

Is it even possible to imagine a real infinity?

When it comes to the infinite, I'm almost always thinking of a procedure that can always be continued. The natural numbers are infinite precisely because I easily imagine that, whatever natural number is presented, I can always add 1. An infinite past is the same thing: no matter how far back one goes, I can easily imagine that you could go back a second further. Same for space.

One point that has already been raised: an infinite past is just as imaginary as a beginning of time.

 

[untermensche]

It's everywhere. It can be thought of as the eternal now.

It is a mathematical concept and exists by definition. Like zero. You can't observe zero either.

The zero length present just went over your head.

Sure one can say they are imagining an infinite now.

And also imagine the Easter Bunny.

Both are equally real.

- - - Updated - - -

Is it even possible to imagine a real infinity?

When it comes to the infinite, I'm almost always thinking of a procedure that can always be continued. The natural numbers are infinite precisely because I easily imagine that, whatever natural number is presented, I can always add 1. An infinite past is the same thing: no matter how far back one goes, I can easily imagine that you could go back a second further. Same for space.

One point that has already been raised: an infinite past is just as imaginary as a beginning of time.

You cannot even imagine infinite natural numbers.

You will be dead long before you get very far into the imaginary sequence.

In fact when you die you will still have infinite numbers to imagine no matter how many you imagine when alive.

 

[ryan]

Is it even possible to imagine a real infinity?

Can something be infinitely small? Infinitely large?

Look at it this way. If infinite size does not exist, then what is the largest amount of something that can exist and why?

Can we generate infinite power?

If the Big Bang happened as a quantum fluctuation from a point of 0 energy, then all energy is really just "free energy" (from negative potential energy and kinetic energy cancelling each other out). We can always get more energy as long as potential energy is also created. There is no limit.

 

[untermensche]

Look at it this way. If infinite size does not exist, then what is the largest amount of something that can exist and why?

Infinity is not an amount.

It is an imaginary concept of a series that does not have a final amount.

Can we generate infinite power?

If the Big Bang happened as a quantum fluctuation from a point of 0 energy, then all energy is really just "free energy" (from negative potential energy and kinetic energy cancelling each other out). We can always get more energy as long as potential energy is also created. There is no limit.

Imaginary amounts of energy are no more real than imaginary amounts of numbers.

The question is not can an infinity be imagined if we just use the magic word "forever"?

The questions is can some infinity be demonstrated?

 

[bilby]

Who needs forever?

There are an infinite number of fractions between 0 and 1; There are an infinite number of fractions of a second between now and one second ago. Why can't time have existed for an infinite number of seconds?

The only 'reason' I have heard so far is that "an infinite number of moments cannot finish passing" - but an infinite number of moments exists in a finite period of time, so if that argument is sound, then finite time is just as impossible as infinite time.

 

[ryan]

Infinity is not an amount.

I agree because it would be a limitless amount

It is an imaginary concept of a series that does not have a final amount.

What about the series: sum of 1/2^n from n=1 to n =infinity? That comes to a final amount of 1.

The questions is can some infinity be demonstrated?

Achilles eventually catches the tortoise, if you are watching as you fall into a black hole.

 

[beero1000]

Infinity is not an amount.

It is an imaginary concept of a series that does not have a final amount.

Partying like it's 1873!

 

[untermensche]

Who needs forever?

There are an infinite number of fractions between 0 and 1; There are an infinite number of fractions of a second between now and one second ago. Why can't time have existed for an infinite number of seconds?

The only 'reason' I have heard so far is that "an infinite number of moments cannot finish passing" - but an infinite number of moments exists in a finite period of time, so if that argument is sound, then finite time is just as impossible as infinite time.

There can be an imagined infinity of imaginary things.

Like infinite fractions.

But this does not make infinity a real concept.

To claim infinity is something real a real infinity has to be demonstrated.

 

[untermensche]

I agree because it would be a limitless amount

Yes something that is purely and absolutely imaginary.

It is an imaginary concept of a series that does not have a final amount.

What about the series: sum of 1/2^n from n=1 to n =infinity? That comes to a final amount of 1.

You are not just looking at the concept of infinity. You are looking at the concept of infinity in combination with several other concepts.

The concept of infinity is one thing. That is just the definition.

How the concept is used in mathematics is another.

The questions is can some infinity be demonstrated?

Achilles eventually catches the tortoise, if you are watching as you fall into a black hole.

Imaginary scenarios do not define real concepts.

 

[untermensche]

Infinity is not an amount.

It is an imaginary concept of a series that does not have a final amount.

Partying like it's 1873!

Better than believing some totally imaginary concept could ever rationally be applied to real entities.

Next you will tell me how time is proof that zero is real because we can imagine a nothingness where no time exists.

 

[beero1000]

Partying like it's 1873!

Better than believing some totally imaginary concept could ever rationally be applied to real entities.

Next you will tell me how time is proof that zero is real because we can imagine a nothingness where no time exists.

Nah, I started telling you infinitely many minutes ago and you just haven't gotten the message yet.

 

[bilby]

Who needs forever?

There are an infinite number of fractions between 0 and 1; There are an infinite number of fractions of a second between now and one second ago. Why can't time have existed for an infinite number of seconds?

The only 'reason' I have heard so far is that "an infinite number of moments cannot finish passing" - but an infinite number of moments exists in a finite period of time, so if that argument is sound, then finite time is just as impossible as infinite time.

There can be an imagined infinity of imaginary things.

Like infinite fractions.

But this does not make infinity a real concept.

To claim infinity is something real a real infinity has to be demonstrated.

Demonstrated? It can be proven mathematically.

Of course you can always claim that mathematics is not 'real'; but the irony of doing so on the electric Internet might give untouchable pause before making a fool of yourself in that particular way.

 

[untermensche]

Demonstrated? It can be proven mathematically.

Of course you can always claim that mathematics is not 'real'; but the irony of doing so on the electric Internet might give untouchable pause before making a fool of yourself in that particular way.

It is defined in mathematics.

Mathematics is a real thing. A human invention. So you cannot apply imaginary concepts like infinity to it.

A number is an imaginary concept. With symbolic representation.

You can't go out into the wild or look to the heavens and find a six.

 

[untermensche]

Better than believing some totally imaginary concept could ever rationally be applied to real entities.

Next you will tell me how time is proof that zero is real because we can imagine a nothingness where no time exists.

Nah, I started telling you infinitely many minutes ago and you just haven't gotten the message yet.

Now your delusion is clear.

You were not even alive 60 million minutes ago.

This is a bit less than infinity.

 

[beero1000]

Nah, I started telling you infinitely many minutes ago and you just haven't gotten the message yet.

Now your delusion is clear.

You were not even alive 60 million minutes ago.

This is a bit less than infinity.

Don't be ridiculous. A minute is a totally imaginary concept and can't ever be rationally applied to a real entity like me. You can't go out into the wild or look to the heavens and find a minute.

 

[untermensche]

Now your delusion is clear.

You were not even alive 60 million minutes ago.

This is a bit less than infinity.

Don't be ridiculous. A minute is a totally imaginary concept and can't ever be rationally applied to a real entity like me. You can't go out into the wild or look to the heavens and find a minute.

One second is the time that elapses during 9,192,631,770 (9.192631770 x 10 9 ) cycles of the radiation produced by the transition between two levels of the cesium 133 atom.

The second is a measurement of observed phenomena.

Not an imaginary concept.

 

[beero1000]

Don't be ridiculous. A minute is a totally imaginary concept and can't ever be rationally applied to a real entity like me. You can't go out into the wild or look to the heavens and find a minute.

One second is the time that elapses during 9,192,631,770 (9.192631770 x 10 9 ) cycles of the radiation produced by the transition between two levels of the cesium 133 atom.

The second is a measurement of observed phenomena.

Not an imaginary concept.

6 is the number of items I have on my desk right now.

The number 6 is a measurement of observed phenomena.

Not an imaginary concept.

 

[untermensche]

One second is the time that elapses during 9,192,631,770 (9.192631770 x 10 9 ) cycles of the radiation produced by the transition between two levels of the cesium 133 atom.

The second is a measurement of observed phenomena.

Not an imaginary concept.

6 is the number of items I have on my desk right now.

The number 6 is a measurement of observed phenomena.

Not an imaginary concept.

You have six items on your desk. Not six.

The items are real the number is imaginary.