This universe is infinite because is made of cosmic consciousness. — Anand-Haqq
I am surprised by your examples as they do not really seem to test the idea of infinity. — Gary Enfield
I should also point out that even nature has straight lines, and the conceptual ones marking the 3 dimensions could potentially run to infinity. — Gary Enfield
This suggested that the Universe was no bigger than the expanding ball of matter which emerged from a point in space, and has been growing outwards ever since (but this still limits the concept of the universe to a finite size - even if it is increasing at a supposed rate). This also had the effect of giving time a start point, till it was pointed out that this would break determinist principles.
So the
Bang: Crunch: Bang cycle
was introduced to restore the possibility of an eternity of existence, and avoid the need for God as creator. — Gary Enfield
While the latter is the only one to argue for a finite universe which is supported by evidence, it is surprising that so much alternate evidence continues to arise to reinforce the argument for infinities. — Gary Enfield
I like to think of it as cyclically infinite despite any finite properties. What do you think? — Paul S
Not really. That is just abstraction we all picked up from Math diagrams. Just because I say, "yeah that line can just go on forever" doesn't mean it actually can. — Paul S
I've seen so many theories that use duct tape fudges to avoid indeterminism, that I can't help but feel the universe may very well be indeterministic.
The only "fudge" that seems to so hard to avoid that many Physicists have embraced it is indeterminism itself. Maybe it's not fudge. — Paul S
Because most people learn at school to throw the infinity symbol around with such impunity, but if you ask them what comes after infinity, they can just say, nothing comes after infinity, it's infinite.
But that doesn't really deal with the profound implications of the infinite, and all the paradoxical baggage that comes with it. It's just not feasible to continue arguing for the infinite when the tools we use really only bolt the idea of infinity to the end. — Paul S
Yet the 9 year results of the WMAP survey has largely ended that notion.... until contrary evidence arises. — Gary Enfield
I agree... yet to be precise, I have not met/encountered any physicist who espouses true 'randomness and spontaneity' - say in QM results etc. who is prepared to stray outside the realms of mathematics - which is essentially deterministic. — Gary Enfield
This was the core of my recent topic about the use of Probabilities. Did you see it? — Gary Enfield
because the only way to change an eternal cycle is to introduce a spontaneous or truly random factor...... thank you Mr.Finipolscie for that one. — Gary Enfield
Isn't the extent of Earth's (finite!) surface unbounded (infinite)? Also, whether an expanding torus or Möbius-like loop, what would it even mean to conceive of the universe as bounded by ... non-universe / nothing / nonbeing (à la "North of the North Pole")?If the universe is full of finite cycles, do these cycles repeat indefinite? Istimeinfinite. — Paul S
Isn't the extent of Earth's (finite!) surface unbounded (infinite)? Also, whether an expanding torus or Möbius-like loop, what would it even mean to conceive of the universe as bounded by ... non-universe / nothing / nonbeing (à la "North of the North Pole")? — 180 Proof
Probably, but to be fair, it is difficult to get anything practical done without using determinism. Even if the universe is indeterministic, determinism is a wonderful tool.
Indeterminacy is a key part of quantum mechanics. But, the Physicists who work on it, are working at the level of a particles' apparent indeterminacy, such as electron spin. It boils down to a probability distribution on a set of outcomes of a measurement on some observable like an electrons spin. — Paul S
IMO, an infinite value for any physical quantity should raise some red flags. As for black holes, the infinities we get are surely just a sign that our physics is breaking down at such high energies. — Photios
when logically the very use of probabilities denies any known cause. — Gary Enfield
But infinity is a purely abstract concept. In fact, Mathematics that delves deeply into it seems to be filled with paradoxes. — Paul S
Maybe this is a place to start
Infinitary logic:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinitary_logic — Paul S
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