I got AI to say it doesn't know: Does infinity exist other than mathmatics?

[Glenn's Take]

we do not know if infinity physically exists. Science requires proof through measurement, and humans can only measure finite amounts. Physics uses infinity in theories, but many experts think those infinities just mean the theories are incomplete. [1, 2, 3]

 

[Im The Village Idiot]

I subscribe to the belief that infinity exists only for one entity, that being whatever it is you believe IS. Not something that began to exist but something that, apart from its existence reality simply isn’t. Without such a concept, nothing is possible. You may ascribe those attributes to the universe if you believe in an eternal cosmos. You may ascribe those attributes to a deity. Or something else. If you believe in the law of cause and effect and are willing to challenge yourself to asking for a cause in succession, you’ll either end up in an infinite regress or account for the existence of some type of uncaused cause. As for mathematics, you may ask yourself: 1/3+1/3+1/3=1, so what is 0.33r+0.33r+0.33r=?, where the “r” represents a repetition of the same digit. Well, is that 1? Or is that 0.99r? You see, the 1/3+1/3+1/3 is true but do you truly ever cut the apple into exactly 1.33r of a slice? No. These things are mostly a demonstration to us, a visual example of something purely conceptual. Yet, it’s also true to note that certain things have no end. Go check out Mandelbrot sets and enjoy the beauty of numbers.

By the way, much of what I said is purely my opinion and I’m not passing it off as fact. There is debate about the reality of “infinity” as it pertains to mathematical realities of everyday life.

 

[TheBlueMist]

If you hold a mirror up to another mirror you can capture just how much you need to clean both mirrors.

 

[mhs1964]

I subscribe to the belief that infinity exists only for one entity, that being whatever it is you believe IS. Not something that began to exist but something that, apart from its existence reality simply isn’t. Without such a concept, nothing is possible. You may ascribe those attributes to the universe if you believe in an eternal cosmos. You may ascribe those attributes to a deity. Or something else. If you believe in the law of cause and effect and are willing to challenge yourself to asking for a cause in succession, you’ll either end up in an infinite regress or account for the existence of some type of uncaused cause. As for mathematics, you may ask yourself: 1/3+1/3+1/3=1, so what is 0.33r+0.33r+0.33r=?, where the “r” represents a repetition of the same digit. Well, is that 1? Or is that 0.99r? You see, the 1/3+1/3+1/3 is true but do you truly ever cut the apple into exactly 1.33r of a slice? No. These things are mostly a demonstration to us, a visual example of something purely conceptual. Yet, it’s also true to note that certain things have no end. Go check out Mandelbrot sets and enjoy the beauty of numbers.

By the way, much of what I said is purely my opinion and I’m not passing it off as fact. There is debate about the reality of “infinity” as it pertains to mathematical realities of everyday life.

I’m not sure I understand anything you said except for the 1/3+1/3+1/3=1. I am familiar with this since my grandson will be graduating with a math degree soon And when I ask him what a given class really means I quickly am scratching my head.

 

[JonathanW2]

we do not know if infinity physically exists. Science requires proof through measurement, and humans can only measure finite amounts. Physics uses infinity in theories, but many experts think those infinities just mean the theories are incomplete. [1, 2, 3]

Math is the proof that infinity exists. Also, lots of science is theory, not proven through measurement. Much of physics is that way. Evolution is too.

 

[BBNinSCar]

Most mathematicians accept infinity as real but there is a big difference between mathematical infinity and physical infinity.

 

[St.Patterson_54_]

Smile for a satellite photo!

Powdered water- what do you add?

 

[RickLagina'sWig]

I can't remember which AI it was, but I talked one out of an opinion like Captain Kirk talked V'ger down from its high horse.

 

[KOF98]

"Measuring" infinity is a nonsensical concept.

 

[chroix]

I thought summer here was just about fighting with strangers on the internet. Did not know there was an acid option.

 

[theBlues]

Infinity doesn't really apply to anything besides math, imo. I know some think the universe is of infinite size but I don't see how that could be the case since it was a finite size before inflation.

 

[BlueVelvetFog]

Chuck Norris counted to infinity --twice.

 

[NineIsOnTheWay]

 

[BlueSince92]

I suspect no.

Because infinity is not really a quantity; it’s basically a comparative adjective. You can say you’ll divide something infinitely. But you’re only making a negative statement about never stopping that division process. You aren’t (and cannot) making a positive statement about how many times you’ll be dividing.

I don’t even know if God is infinite. Because what would that even mean? He’s certainly unlimited in every good and powerful and excellent sense. But those are just negative statements about limits. There can’t ever be anything meaningful He’s not able to do, at least not that’s consistent with His righteous character. But that’s not the same thing as saying He has so much power right now that it’s literally gibberish and He has to have a room so big it’s literally gibberish to store it all in. He’s just unlimited, which is easy to comprehend.

Comprehensibility is key in all this. In his fantastically excellent book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis pointed out that even God can’t do something that’s nonsense. He used that to answer the famous question, can God create a rock so big He couldn’t lift it.

No—turns out the answer is just no. Even God can’t create a rock so big God can’t lift it. Because there could never be any such thing as a rock so big God couldn’t lift it. The idea is gibberish. And God not being able to do something that is only gibberish doesn’t make Him any weaker.

Having an infinite amount of something or having something that is of infinite extent or infinite intensity in the physical world is gibberish. Not only can it not be done—if you calm down long enough to see where you’ve only been using negative assertions about limits and comparative adjectives, you’ll realize you can’t even say exactly what it is that can’t be done. That should be your clue it’s gibberish.

I’m not omnipotent and I don’t presume to know for certain I’ve divided the word of truth here correctly as regards God, Who is beyond my full comprehension in any case. But these are my strong and carefully reasoned suspicions.

My personal suspicion:

Unbounded (which is what we use in mathematics, separated from some intrusive and confused popular philosophies that have no place in mathematics imho)——Yes

Infinite——No