(February 13, 2018 at 6:25 pm)polymath257 Wrote:(February 13, 2018 at 6:21 pm)RoadRunner79 Wrote: Yes, that is the assertion, and it sounds good. However if you are saying that there is an infinite number of something, then I want to know an infinite number of what (definition) and how did you determine that they where infinite? I'm just guessing, but I don't think that you counted them. And you can check my math, but I think that dividing by two will always return a finite number.
Yes, an infinite number of finite numbers.
I gave the argument above for the collection being infinite. It is a simple argument. As long as you admit that there is a point between any two given ones (no matter what the definition), the result follows.
I think that there a couple of problems with this as a refutation. I think that you point is an abstraction, which is why you do not want to define it. I also think that if you do define it, as anything physical and finite, your argument fails. It's also on this point, that you have an issue, because the contention is that you cannot have an infinite number of things by successful addition (or division or multiplication for that matter). No one is arguing that you cannot have an infinite set of abstract numbers (which is really all I think your points are). If you disagree, then give a definition which is not an abstract, and we can test it. I think that your point is zero (or nothing), or always changing and not talking about the same thing.
Secondarily similar to successive addition, you will never reach an actual infinite by successive division. At any given step in the process, you only have a potential infinite. You don't posses and actual infinite at any time, but are extrapolating out the action infinitely.
It is said that an argument is what convinces reasonable men and a proof is what it takes to convince even an unreasonable man. - Alexander Vilenkin
If I am shown my error, I will be the first to throw my books into the fire. - Martin Luther
If I am shown my error, I will be the first to throw my books into the fire. - Martin Luther