Originally Posted By: Orac
"Bounded" here refers to the fact that something has limits within the context of a particular property. An example of something that is finite yet unbounded is a circle. The circumference has no end points, but it is of a specific length.

So the circle is infinite & finite depends totally on the framing of the question and we are talking about a circle drawn on a piece of paper not something as complex as the universe.

I have seen that analogy before and have accepted it, but at the same time I have always felt a little uneasy about it. The thing is that the circle is finite and bounded, as long as you stay on the circle. But it has very definite bounds if you try to leave the circle. So then the question is, what is the circle embedded in?

This brings us back to Bill S.' questions as to infinity and time. He is still trying to understand them. I don't think he will ever do it because nobody really understands them. I certainly don't. As far as the universe is concerned, I haven't heard of any thing that explains where it came from if it isn't infinite. Again that is Bill's question. And saying it came from a Quantum nothing (a quantum foam?) is begging the point.

Bill Gill

C is not the speed of light in a vacuum.
C is the universal speed limit.