(February 14, 2018 at 11:08 pm)Grandizer Wrote:(February 14, 2018 at 10:55 pm)RoadRunner79 Wrote: The term actual infinity is contradictory.
Infinite of course refers to limitless or endless. It cannot be ended, or completed. It cannot be contained or actualized in it's entirety or limited. Therefore when you put the two together, it is a contradiction.
Infinity means that there is no limit, that there is always something more. You cannot bind it and say "here is infinity" at any given point. You will have a potential infinity, which may be increased.
Wiki articles tend to be a confusing mess, and it's not always clear who is saying what, and in response to what, and in what context.
Yes, mathematical infinity doesn't automatically translate to physical infinity but, short of evidence to the contrary, it does mean that it is at least possible in the actual world. If there are logical constraints in the physical world that would prevent an actual infinity from being a thing, what are they then? Point them out if you have any.
Why can't a physical infinity have ALL the elements present already? Maybe your problem is that you're focusing on the "ends" too much and thinking about how you are able to get there? How about thinking the elements are all there, but as for whether or not I can go through them one by one is another story?
You don’t see a problem in having all the elements present, and it being infinite. If the are all there, then they are limited and thus finite. You still have a contradiction.
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