Related papers: Une initiation au concept de l'infini

This text tries to give an elementary introduction to the mathematical properties of infinite sets. The aim is to keep the approach as simple as possible. Advanced knowledge of mathematics is not necessary for a proper understanding, and…

Since the theory developed by Georg Cantor, mathematicians have taken a sharp interest in the sizes of infinite sets. We know that the set of integers is infinitely countable and that its cardinality is Aleph0. Cantor proved in 1891 with…

From 1873 to 1897, Georg Cantor worked on developing set theory, and despite a strong initial resistance, it rapidly became accepted as the foundation of mathematics. In this work, however, we'll demonstrate that Cantor's use of infinity is…

Georg Cantor was the genuine discoverer of the Mathematical Infinity, and whatever he claimed, suggested, or even surmised should be taken seriously -- albeit not necessary at its face value. Because alongside his exquisite in beauty…

Discussions surrounding the nature of the infinite in mathematics have been underway for two millennia. Mathematicians, philosophers, and theologians have all taken part. The basic question has been whether the infinite exists only in…

This article critically reappraises arguments in support of Cantor's theory of transfinite numbers. The following results are reported: i) Cantor's proofs of nondenumerability are refuted by analyzing the logical inconsistencies in…

Cantor's famous proof of the non-denumerability of real numbers does apply to any infinite set. The set of exclusively all natural numbers does not exist. This shows that the concept of countability is not well defined. There remains no…

This paper examines the possibilities of extending Cantor's two arguments on the uncountable nature of the set of real numbers to one of its proper denumerable subsets: the set of rational numbers. The paper proves that, unless certain…

For any particularly interesting theorem one proof is never enough. Instead, the first proof sets the challenge to find a more elegant method that illuminates subtle features of the math, is simpler to understand, or even avoids using…

In 1924 David Hilbert conceived a paradoxical tale involving a hotel with an infinite number of rooms to illustrate some aspects of the mathematical notion of "infinity". In continuous-variable quantum mechanics we routinely make use of…

Cantor's diagonal method is traditionally used to prove the uncountability of the set of all infinite binary sequences. This paper analyzes the expressive limits of this method. It is shown that under any constructive application --…

Historically, infinity was long considered a vague concept - boundless, endless, larger than the largest - without any quantifiable mathematical foundation. This view changed in the 1800s through the pioneering work of Georg Cantor showing…

We present a self-contained analysis of infinity from two mathematical perspectives: set theory and algebra. We begin with cardinal and ordinal numbers, examining deep questions such as the continuum hypothesis, along with foundational…

For more than a century, Cantor's theory of transfinite numbers has played a pivotal role in set theory, with ramifications that extend to many areas of mathematics. This article extends earlier findings with a fresh look at the critical…

The mathematical study of infinity seems to have the ability to transport the mind to lofty and unusual realms. Decades ago, I was transported in this way by Rudy Rucker's book Infinity and the Mind. Despite much subsequent learning and…

Four constructions result from a desire to create enhancements to Cantor's infinite real set cardinality. Each continues to keep Cantor's cardinality formulation in place while providing new comparisons of arbitrary infinite sets. To…

What is known as "Hilbert's hotel" is a story of an imaginary hotel with infinitely many rooms that illustrates the bizarre consequences of assuming an actual infinity of objects or events. Since the 1970s it has been used in a variety of…

In his Foundations of a General Theory of Manifolds, Georg Cantor praised Bernard Bolzano as a clear defender of actual infinity who had the courage to work with infinite numbers. At the same time, he sharply criticized the way Bolzano…

Cantor's famous construction of the real continuum in terms of Cauchy sequences of rationals proceeds by imposing a suitable equivalence relation. More generally, the completion of a metric space starts from an analogous equivalence…

It is shown that any denumerable list L to which Cantor's diagonal method was applied is incomplete. However, this doesn't allow us to affirm that the cardinality of the real numbers of the interval [0, 1] is greater than the cardinality of…