Actual Infinity in Reality?

[polymath257]

From the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy:

https://www.iep.utm.edu/infinit

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What do you think in that addresses the logical contradiction being presented in Zeno's paradox?

What logical contradiction specifically? Zeno's dichotomy paradox isn't an argument against an actual infinity. It's called a paradox of motion, not a paradox of infinity.

Did you read at least the first few and last few paragraphs from the article?

That was a *very* nice article! All those arguing against actual infinities should read the whole thing.

In particular, the use of actual infinities in mathematics, especially the development of calculus, is vital and cannot be dispensed with. And calculus is central to our understanding of the universe via physics.

That alone is a very, very good reason to accept actual infinities. Every basic physical theory since Newton has been based on calculus. There is a strong sense in which the development of calculus was what produced the differences in science between the West and the rest of the world. And infinities are central to that field.

So, in a sense, the allowance for actual infinities is central to the development of our modern understanding of the universe. It is why Aristotelian philosophy is so little regarded by modern science: it fails to produce the results.

I want to point out that NOBODY has actually presented a *contradiction* in the logical sense to an actual infinity. Yes, they have produced things that seem strange if they are used to finite sets all the time, but there has been no actual contradiction.