kaelcarp Posted March 16, 2005 Report Posted March 16, 2005 The most interesting infinity-related idea to me is the fact that you can make formulas with different infinities. As Turtle basically said, different infinte sets can produce infinities of different levels of infinitude. For instance, you can say that half of all integers are even, but the sets of all integers and of even integers are both infinite. So, if x is all integers and y is all even integers, then x=2y. I recall reading an article around 10 years ago about a mathematician whose primary area of work was in working with infinities. I remember that it was very interesting, but I can't recall the exact nature of it or who it was. It did introduce me to this concept, though, and it has stuck with me. Quote
C1ay Posted March 16, 2005 Report Posted March 16, 2005 geko said: The universe for example cant be infinite because our knowledge says it has a beginning and it's still expanding. If it's expanding it's getting bigger. So it wasnt infinite in size to begin with, otherwise infinity has a value. Also, the volume of the universe could be worked out, couldnt it? How many seconds in 13.7 billion years? Multiply that by the speed of light, factor in the early acceleration and deacceleration, and you have it's length, bredth and width. Volume could be worked out from this, no? Some theories suggest this. It is not a proven fact that the universe has a beginning or a finite size. Evidence has been discovered recently that there were old, dead galaxies around the time we think the universe began. Perhaps there was an event 13.7 billion years ago and it wasn't the beginning. My personal belief is that the universe as we know it is just a finite set in a larger infinite universe. That's just another theory though. If our universe is finite then I would agree that there could be no physical inifinities within. Quote
Tormod Posted March 16, 2005 Author Report Posted March 16, 2005 kaelcarp said: I recall reading an article around 10 years ago about a mathematician whose primary area of work was in working with infinities. I remember that it was very interesting, but I can't recall the exact nature of it or who it was. It did introduce me to this concept, though, and it has stuck with me. Georg Cantor. http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Cantor.html and his infinities (interesting stuff in this article): http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/I/infinity.html Quote
Turtle Posted March 16, 2005 Report Posted March 16, 2005 ___I just caught up on this thread. Back a ways, Tormod said, "I am still pondering the idea of whether a singularity is "inifitely small with infinite mass" or not. It seems impossible to me." I agree, seems impossible & I also agree it is a poor description. If you replace the phrase 'infinately small' with 'imponderably small', it better describes the situation.___C1ay back a ways said, "Imagine placing a one gallon pail of water with some marbles in it inside of a five gallon pail of water that also has some marbles. The water is space and the marbles are matter. " Actually, the ratio for close packing spheres to the interspaces is 6 to 1, ie, 6 times as much volume is ocuupied by marbles as by water. In a closed container such as your bucket, the geometry of the container would have to be considered in calculating the exact volume of water;simply counting the marbles gives their volume. B) Quote
sigurdV Posted July 4, 2011 Report Posted July 4, 2011 On 2/15/2005 at 1:59 PM, C1ay said: One thing to ponder, if our universe is constantly expanding, what is it expanding into? There doesnt have to be an outside, expansion can progress inwards! To each expanding series 1234... or 1248there is their inverses 1/1 1/2 1/3 1/4 ...or 1/1 1/2 1/4 1/8 Supposing a universe is infinitely divisible it can have any "inside" size without disturbing "outside" territory:) The question of infinite mass? at the singularity is awkward. but claims have been made that our universe has a finite measurable amount(and was calculated) of energy=mass coming from the singularity. Which makes me suspect the infinity of mass in the singularity is a result of dividing with zero. Quote
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