Originally Posted By: Bill S.
Originally Posted By: Orac
So you are trying to turn infinity into abstraction and it simply isn't ... it's no more abstract than PI or any irrational or complex number.


While this is undoubtedly true of mathematical infinities, the concept of "true" infinity (physical infinity, if there is such a thing) can have nothing to do with number, rational or irrational.


Not quite true if I was on a featureless sphere and started walking. I could walk to infinity and never reach the end.

In essence you have to be able to recognize features to be able to recognize less than infinity in space terms otherwise you would have no idea your have come full circle assuming space was a sphere or some closed shape. Now don't say but you would recognize stars and galaxies because assuming even light speed travel they will all have moved by the time you get back to the exact same place in space but it will all look different.

This is the importance of space manifolds how would you even recognize less than infinite space.

Last edited by Orac; 08/08/11 07:55 AM.

I believe in "Evil, Bad, Ungodly fantasy science and maths", so I am undoubtedly wrong to you.