Originally Posted By: Bill S.

This is where we seem to part company. I strongly suspect that there can never have been a time when there was absolutely nothing, or there would still be nothing now. If this is the case, something must be physically infinite. This leads to the question: What does it mean to be physically infinite?

The question that you pose is very significant. We have to distinguish between mathematical and physical infinities. The natural numbers constitute an infinite set; it is a mathematical infinity. But the number of apples can never be infinite; it is physical. If the number of apples is extremely large and when there is no theoretical limit, we may define it as 'physical infinity' (in my opinion), which of course is a finite set without any 'theoretical limit', but with an 'arbitrary' limit. I don't know whether a distinction between mathematical and physical infinities ever existed in philosophical and scientific dialogues. I will look up in the Wikipedia.

'Whether the universe is infinite or not' is not the only problem connected with infinity. There are infinities within the theories. For example, in the concept of gravity, the GR leads to an an infinite curvature of space-time. Newtonian gravity also becomes infinite when the mass of the body becomes grater than a certain limit (not infinite). Such absurd infinities arise because they have not considered the question of physical infinity (IMO based on my theory).