Infinity.

[Holy Roller]

If something* has a beginning but no end, is it infinite?
If something has an end but no beginning, is it likewise infinite?
Further, suppose something has no beginning and no end? Is it infinite?

Discuss!

*"Something" may be a process, an event or an existence.

 

[Nathan45]

If something* has a beginning but no end, is it infinite?
If something has an end but no beginning, is it likewise infinite?
Further, suppose something has no beginning and no end? Is it infinite?

Discuss!

*"Something" may be a process, an event or an existence.

yes, yes, and yes.

where are you going with this?

 

[ArnautDaniel]

The set of rational numbers between (and including) zero and one has both a beginning (zero) and an ending (one) and is infinite.

Jus' throwin' it out there.

 

[pgp_protector]

The set of rational numbers between (and including) zero and one has both a beginning (zero) and an ending (one) and is infinite.

Jus' throwin' it out there.

LOL

 

[lawtonfogle]

If something* has a beginning but no end, is it infinite?
If something has an end but no beginning, is it likewise infinite?
Further, suppose something has no beginning and no end? Is it infinite?

Discuss!

*"Something" may be a process, an event or an existence.

Yes, yes, and yes.

1, 2, 3.... = infinite
-1, -2, -3... = infinite
...-1, 0, 1... = infinite

Next question.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

If something* has a beginning but no end, is it infinite?
If something has an end but no beginning, is it likewise infinite?
Further, suppose something has no beginning and no end? Is it infinite?

Yes to all three.

What do you mean by 'infinite'? Are you talking about spacial length? Temporal duration? Wattage? It doesn't change the answer, I'm just curious.

 

[ChordatesLegacy]

If something* has a beginning but no end, is it infinite?
If something has an end but no beginning, is it likewise infinite?
Further, suppose something has no beginning and no end? Is it infinite?

Discuss!

*"Something" may be a process, an event or an existence.

Beginning ---------- ∞, Infinite

∞ ----------------- End, Infinite

∞ ----------------- ∞, Infinite

 

[paug]

This OP has been owned.

 

[Cabal]

They all have to be infinite. The last one is the most apparently infinite one, but it couldn't be if the first two were finite.

 

[juvenissun]

If something* has a beginning but no end, is it infinite?
If something has an end but no beginning, is it likewise infinite?
Further, suppose something has no beginning and no end? Is it infinite?

Discuss!

*"Something" may be a process, an event or an existence.

In this case, the "beginning" and the "end" need to be defined.
How about a cyclic process?

The issue is the "time". And we do not know what that is.

 

[Holy Roller]

The set of rational numbers between (and including) zero and one has both a beginning (zero) and an ending (one) and is infinite.
Jus' throwin' it out there.

This seems counterintuitive. How can something that's finite (beginning=0 and end=1) also be infinite (everything that falls between 0 and 1)? Since time and space do not affect this quality of infinity, what happens when we ascribe a time value for 0 and 1? What happens then? We have T=0 and T=1 as the "beginning" and "ending" respectively, which initially appears a definite, finite length of time. But as you pointed out, every time consideration that falls in between actually defines infinity, not finity.

The next and most obvious question then is how can something like this be both finite and infinite? This contradiction whether real or fancied must be rectified somehow.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

This seems counterintuitive.

Reality has a nasty habit of defying our squidgy brains.

How can something that's finite (beginning=0 and end=1) also be infinite (everything that falls between 0 and 1)?

I believe they mean that there are an infinite number of numbers between zero and one. More generally, this relates to the notion of irrationality.

Since time and space do not affect this quality of infinity, what happens when we ascribe a time value for 0 and 1? What happens then? We have T=0 and T=1 as the "beginning" and "ending" respectively, which initially appears a definite, finite length of time. But as you pointed out, every time consideration that falls in between actually defines infinity, not finity.

You misunderstand what they're saying. Moreover, there is no reason to suppose that the t dimension behaves like the real line: there are an infinite number of points between any two real numbers, but there might be only a finite number of points between any two times.

That is, time might ultimately be made up of discrete quanta.

The next and most obvious question then is how can something like this be both finite and infinite? This contradiction whether real or fancied must be rectified somehow.

See above. You misunderstood what they were saying.

Though I can see your confusion, since it was poorly worded. There are an infinite number of numbers between zero and one: a line of finite length has an infinite number of points along it.

 

[Holy Roller]

If something* has a beginning but no end, is it infinite?
If something has an end but no beginning, is it likewise infinite?
Further, suppose something has no beginning and no end? Is it infinite?

Discuss!

*"Something" may be a process, an event or an existence.

Consider what I posted in the OT. I may add:
"If something has both a beginning and an end, is it likewise infinite? Or is is it finite?"
Judging by the post above this one, it appears as if something that has bot a beginning and an ending is also infinite, right? If this is so, we should actually form a rigid definition for finity rather than infinity.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

Consider what I posted in the OT. I may add:
"If something has both a beginning and an end, is it likewise infinite? Or is is it finite?"

It can be either. It also depends on what you mean by 'infinite'. Are you talking about spacial length / temporal duration?

Judging by the post above this one, it appears as if something that has bot a beginning and an ending is also infinite, right?

Not necessarily.

If this is so, we should actually form a rigid definition for finity rather than infinity.

We have formal definitions of both.

 

[ArnautDaniel]

The next and most obvious question then is how can something like this be both finite and infinite? This contradiction whether real or fancied must be rectified somehow.

Things have multiple aspects to them.

Depending on what you are measuring they may be finite or infinite.

 

[Tinker Grey]

I think it is easier to think of infinity in terms of sets--a set having infinitely many members. The confusion in the OP is about imposing order--which for any given set is arbitrary. That is, the infinite set of counting numbers only has a beginning if you insist on ordering the set. The concept of infinity is independent of ordering.

 

[Blayz]

You are going to get a better grasp of infinity if you look at set theory, rather than philosophy.

 

[lawtonfogle]

This seems counterintuitive. How can something that's finite (beginning=0 and end=1) also be infinite (everything that falls between 0 and 1)? Since time and space do not affect this quality of infinity, what happens when we ascribe a time value for 0 and 1? What happens then? We have T=0 and T=1 as the "beginning" and "ending" respectively, which initially appears a definite, finite length of time. But as you pointed out, every time consideration that falls in between actually defines infinity, not finity.

The next and most obvious question then is how can something like this be both finite and infinite? This contradiction whether real or fancied must be rectified somehow.

I think it is how you are defining things. Really, 0 and 1 are just well defined limits, but even then they aren't too well defined, as .999... = 1.

 

[lawtonfogle]

Consider what I posted in the OT. I may add:
"If something has both a beginning and an end, is it likewise infinite? Or is is it finite?"
Judging by the post above this one, it appears as if something that has bot a beginning and an ending is also infinite, right? If this is so, we should actually form a rigid definition for finity rather than infinity.

Let's bring up Zoro. How can something move from point A to point B if their are an infinite number of sub points between which take some amount of time (no matter how small) to cross, and this time, when multiplied by the number of times (infinite) one must cross, results in infinity. The reason is quite simple in the end. 0 * infinity = depends on the nature of the zero and infinity. Calculus is your friend.

 

[ranmaonehalf]

If something* has a beginning but no end, is it infinite?
If something has an end but no beginning, is it likewise infinite?
Further, suppose something has no beginning and no end? Is it infinite?

Discuss!

*"Something" may be a process, an event or an existence.

ok if you have infinity and you subtract infinity what do you get?