Re: Idle Thoughts



On 22 Aug 2005 19:18:23 -0700, "Nick Hodges [TeamB]"
<nickhodges@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>> It' along
>> the lines of "Infinity + 1 = Infinity"
>
>Indeed -- which, of course, proves that 1=0.

Infinity is strange :)

Cantor's basic definition was "a collection is infinite, if some of
its parts are as big as the whole".

Take the set of natural numbers N = {1, 2, 3, ....}, which is
infinitely large. Now consider the set of even (natural) numbers {2,
4, 6, ....}. "Obviously" there must be twice as many natural numbers
as even numbers.

However, for each number n in N, you can create the even number 2n.
Since you can do this for each and every number in N, we see that the
two sets have the same size.

Infinity is strange :)

- Asbjørn
.



Relevant Pages

  • Re: Epistemology 201: The Science of Science
    ... > like a strange thing to do for a word that is undefined. ... > closest is ... This is because the 8th definition of infinity is undefined, ... -- "I know that most men, including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious truth if it be such as would oblige them to admit the falsity of conclusions which they have delighted in explaining to colleagues, which they have proudly taught to others, and which they have woven, thread by thread, into the fabric of their lives." ...
    (sci.math)
  • Re: Epistemology 201: The Science of Science
    ... > like a strange thing to do for a word that is undefined. ... > closest is ... This is because the 8th definition of infinity is undefined, ... -- "I know that most men, including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious truth if it be such as would oblige them to admit the falsity of conclusions which they have delighted in explaining to colleagues, which they have proudly taught to others, and which they have woven, thread by thread, into the fabric of their lives." ...
    (sci.cognitive)
  • Re: Epistemology 201: The Science of Science
    ... > like a strange thing to do for a word that is undefined. ... > closest is ... This is because the 8th definition of infinity is undefined, ... -- "I know that most men, including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious truth if it be such as would oblige them to admit the falsity of conclusions which they have delighted in explaining to colleagues, which they have proudly taught to others, and which they have woven, thread by thread, into the fabric of their lives." ...
    (sci.physics)
  • Re: Where does infinity begin?
    ...  The question has no meaning. ... To try to give a sensible answer to a strange ... There is no such number as infinity. ... Mitch Raemsch ...
    (sci.math)
  • FS:INFINITY GAUNTLET CROSS-OVER Saga
    ... INFINITY GAUNTLET CROSS-OVER Saga ... *SILVER SURFER ... *DR STRANGE ...
    (rec.arts.comics.marketplace)