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Current time: October 31, 2026, 4:53 pm

Poll: Can an actual infinite number of concrete (not abstract) things logically exists?
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No
17.86%
5 17.86%
Not sure, probably No
3.57%
1 3.57%
Yes
46.43%
13 46.43%
Not sure, probably Yes
10.71%
3 10.71%
Have not formed an opinion
21.43%
6 21.43%
Total 28 vote(s) 100%
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Actual Infinity in Reality?
RE: Actual Infinity in Reality?
(February 15, 2018 at 6:51 pm)LadyForCamus Wrote:
(February 15, 2018 at 6:15 pm)Anomalocaris Wrote: Not all of them.  Most of them begin as conceptual model which are then described by mathematics so that their construct are made specific enough for any internal contradictions to be made manifest, or their predictions made precise and thereby possible to verify with precision or falsify.

But you’re saying it is true that they are mathematical models before scientists go out into the physical world to tests them, yeah?

The example of Faraday is interesting. He did a lot of the groundwork on electromagnetism, but he was primarily an experimentalist. The mathematical theory came later. So the engineers were able to start making practical objects before we had a mathematical theory. Faraday's conceptual models didn't really go that far. It was his experiments that opened up a whole new area.
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RE: Actual Infinity in Reality?
(February 15, 2018 at 9:10 pm)polymath257 Wrote: The example of Faraday is interesting. He did a lot of the groundwork on electromagnetism, but he was primarily an experimentalist. The mathematical theory came later. So the engineers were able to start making practical objects before we had a mathematical theory. Faraday's conceptual models didn't really go that far. It was his experiments that opened up a whole new area.

Didn't old what's his name do this with two different sized balls in a tilted building?
Being told you're delusional does not necessarily mean you're mental. 
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RE: Actual Infinity in Reality?
(February 15, 2018 at 7:20 pm)Whateverist Wrote:
(February 15, 2018 at 1:30 pm)Neo-Scholastic Wrote: IMHO logic is prescriptive since what is being described could not be otherwise. It transcends any particular circumstance and applies universally regardless of the type or degree of any particular thing.


That seems a little flip.  Logic can be predictive but I don't see why you'd say prescriptive.  Logic applied correctly and hooked up to solid premises, can yield a correct prediction.  The logic dictates nothing, and its predictive power is entirely dependent upon a correct assessment of the salient factors.  Logic is a tool, nothing more.

I'm referring to the principles of logic not the contents. Kind of like the quadratic equation without any assigned values to the variables.
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RE: Actual Infinity in Reality?
The principles of logic are only as good as how accurately they describe the universe under which we live, Neo.  They're dependent upon them, as well..as all things we know must be.  

Weakness of the system. Just remember not to fall asleep..that's when the night maers get you. Wink
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RE: Actual Infinity in Reality?
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RE: Actual Infinity in Reality?
(February 15, 2018 at 11:05 pm)Khemikal Wrote: The principles of logic are only as good as how accurately they describe the universe under which we live, Neo.  They're dependent upon them, as well..as all things we know must be.  

Weakness of the system. Just remember not to fall asleep..that's when the night maers get you. Wink

You intentionally conflate ontology with epistemology because it suits you. It is similar to how there are natural laws that govern the universe and there are formulas describing/modeling those laws. Saying that something is descriptive implies some other thing being described.
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RE: Actual Infinity in Reality?
(February 16, 2018 at 1:35 am)Neo-Scholastic Wrote:
(February 15, 2018 at 11:05 pm)Khemikal Wrote: The principles of logic are only as good as how accurately they describe the universe under which we live, Neo.  They're dependent upon them, as well..as all things we know must be.  

Weakness of the system.  Just remember not to fall asleep..that's when the night maers get you.  Wink

You intentionally conflate ontology with epistemology because it suits you.  It is similar to how there are natural laws that govern the universe and there are formulas describing/modeling those laws. Saying that something is descriptive implies some other thing being described.

I assume, and I think we should all assume (for the sake of rationality!), that the laws of logic hold unconditionally in this Existence, that there are logical absolutes regardless of how we arrive at them, or whether or not we ever do.

But then again, Existence doesn't owe us jack shit. If there's no logical sense to this Existence, then there just isn't, and we're all doomed. Logic is the best we can do, and it's not reasonable to not rely on it, but at least if logically problematic stuff does occur, then God can create square circles, and ain't that a good thing!
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RE: Actual Infinity in Reality?
I noted i don't have an opinion. I'm not a physicist and The idea of both a finite as Well as an infinite universe are hard for me to grasp. I often imagine The universe as a growing bubble in a complete and utter void. With The expanding universe being finite, yet vast, and The void being neverending yet unreachable because it does not really exist yet. But i have no good reason to assume it is so. This is simply how i cope while i live my little life trying not to let The weight of The Universe crush me and allow me to focus on The things that matter to me.

Wouldn't it be a kicker if it turned out not to be finite or infinite, but both? Or neither?
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RE: Actual Infinity in Reality?
(February 16, 2018 at 3:30 am)Mr.Obvious Wrote: I noted i don't have an opinion. I'm not a physicist and The idea of both a finite as Well as an infinite universe are hard for me to grasp. I often imagine The universe as a growing bubble in a complete and utter void. With The expanding universe being finite, yet vast, and The void being neverending yet unreachable because it does not really exist yet. But i have no good reason to assume it is so. This is simply how i cope while i live my little life trying not to let The weight of The Universe crush me and allow me to focus on The things that matter to me.

Wouldn't it be a kicker if it turned out not to be finite or infinite, but both? Or neither?

Yeah, who the hell knows really. I lean towards infinite because logic itself compels me to (note I haven't made any logical argument for infinity in this thread, but just saying).

But suppose infinite universe/cosmos makes no sense. In such case, even a finite universe itself is bizarre and counterintuitive as well. Why this specific universe and not something else? It doesn't matter if God willed it or not (if he exists), the question would still remain: why this, not that?
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RE: Actual Infinity in Reality?
I just read your opening post. I don't know what has been presented.

You ask if something can exist "something concrete (not abstract)". -edit- that is infinite.

The theory of a Black-hole is just that. Is there an end to how dense a singularity can get? No. Theoretically it can continue to be more and more dense. At infinitude. There is nothing more "concrete" then matter its self. A black-hole is that mater condensed and can theoretically continue to condense more and more.

If you mean something that is proven beyond theory, then the idea of numbers. One can always count higher. There is no end to numbers. Count and count and count on. You'll always have another number to go to.
"I'm thick." - Me
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