let us assume for a moment that infinity is infact possible. now lets assume that the universe is infinitly large and by the same accord infinitly small.

i have a dog named skip on earth
i dont have a dog named skip on earth

if infinity exist it must encompass all possibilities becasue there is infinite space for the occurances. infinity encompasses every possiblilty and then some so how is it possible to have infinity if there are two contradicting possibilities?

i dont think it is possible which reinforces my idea that this physical world is an illusion.

an thoughts on this theory? and logical flaws?

only one, if you dog is an illusion, then what is that illusion doing in your realm of existance...?

maybe the dog being there can only be interpreted one way by each person. like you cannot see the dog and not see the dog at the same time, maybe to keep you sane.

just because every possibility is accounted for, doesn't negate the physical 'law' that something is there or its not, it can't be both.

i assume that it proves that the universe is finite, unless the very first sentence is true.

in short, i like your theory.

heres a better one

(1) i exist
(2) i don't exist

or

(1) the universe exists
(2) the universe doesn't exist

this leads me to the conclusion that i am the only person alive and that everyone else is a figment of my imagination (a bit like the 'fight club' deal).

rao, why do you assume we're all a figment of your imagination? we could all just be a figment of each others imaginations or better yet of an insanely genius wacko who has developped individual personallities for everyone on the planet, making them all think that theyre "real"

[This message has been edited by Bogey Man (edited 04-21-2002).]

I think these are flaws, but it really hurts my head to think about it.

"now lets assume that the universe is infinitly large and by the same accord infinitly small."

For the universe to be infinatly small, you have to have a position on which to judge size, outside of the Universe. But if the usiverse is infitily big, you can't get outside it, so you can't judge its size. So infinity can be as big as you like.

I don't get the thing about the dog.

But, seeing as the universe has got a definate start point, which can be measured, ( big bang) then time in the Universe is NOT infinite.

Therefore, just becuase you've got the space doesn't mean you've got the time for what ever it is your thinking about to happen.

Am sure about the second one, cos you can use maths to show it, but first idea is only a guess. Maybe you could use maths to check?

Rip.

Rip,

Consider this as you ponder infinitely large/small.

The Greek symbol for infinity was the, for want of a better phrase, the lazy 8. Notice how there are no extremes, only a continuous loop.

Hope that helps.

Nox

i see what you mean. i cant say infinity can exist, but the fact is that the universe is infinite, which means that the universe does not REALLY exist! and I hear ya RAOVQ! i think of that all the time. like im the only real person, everytone else is just a big dream!

anyone seen The Matrix? haha

The moment when all possibilities are present and accounted for is the opposite of infinity. As long as intention to wonder exists the billions and billions of new moments of awareness and then all things that follow each of them will continue to afford us a part in infinity. If every part of an existential life experience carries some sort of common dna, i.e. life experience equals a sequence of aquisition of awareness, for living things a self awareness, for non-living things an initial observation in terms of interaction, physical proximity to that which affords recognition.......

quote:

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Originally posted by syphon detonator:
if infinity exist it must encompass all possibilities becasue there is infinite space for the occurances. infinity encompasses every possiblilty and then some so how is it possible to have infinity if there are two contradicting possibilities?

an thoughts on this theory? and logical flaws?

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Well, not to get semantic on you, but infinity is mearly
1. something without limits: limitless time, space, or distance beyond the Earth lay infinity

2. something too great to count: an amount or number so great that it cannot be counted an infinity of stars

3. state of being infinite: the state or quality of being infinite

From Encarta Dictionary

Thus your statment is not true.

Now, if you were talking about infinite possabilities...

i was speaking to the idea that the universe is infinitly large in a spatial sense. meaning that it expands forever outward from me (since i am my own consciousness i assume thath i am the center of the universe even though there is no center point in infinity) and it reduces infinitly into me forever. if you have one infinity then i conclude you must have the other. infinite space = infinite time. i think most people hit on the point i tried to make that if my theory is correct it reinforces the idea that this world is an illusion

I agree.

I have beleived that life as I know it is some kind of illusion for a while now. My beleif is that life is just a dream, when you die their is no heaven you just enter the real wourld.

but the existance or non existance of one thing will mean that a follow on effect won't be able to happen. lets say a cow explodes.

so, for that the cow has to exist. then the cow has to explode.
if the cow does not exist, then it cannot explode, so that is a possibility that is impossible.
or, lets say that the person who strapped explosives to the cow doesn't exist, but the cow does.
if the cow does not exist then is the non existant cow exploding a possibility? and if it is a possibility, then it must, and therefore does, happen, then, what happens? if it isn;t a possibility then how can all things be possible.
i don't think that any type of infinity exists, even time, assuming that it is linear. if time must stop, then what is at the other end? if it repeats, then is there anything to witness the repetition, or is the non existance of everything what defines the restart of time?

or, if the dog is already existing, then the cow cannot exist in the same place, so then the non existant cow cannot explode.

i assume this makes sense.

"moo"
*bang*

If there is an infinite, then all things impossible would become possible, I think, but we would never be able to comprehend WHY and HOW.