Related papers: The Meaning of Infinity
Frege's definition of the real numbers, as envisaged in the second volume of \textit{Grundgesetze der Arithmetik}, is fatally flawed by the inconsistency of Frege's ill-fated \textit{Basic Law V}. We restate Frege's definition in a…
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…
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…
The stipulation that no measurable quantity could have an infinite value is indispensable in physics. At the same time, in mathematics, the possibility of considering an infinite procedure as a whole is usually taken for granted. However,…
Conventional time is modelled as the one dimensional continuum R^1 of real numbers. This continuity, however, does {\em not} stem from {\em any} fundamental principle. On the other hand, natural time is {\em not} continuous and its values…
An alternative mathematics based on qualitative plurality of finiteness is developed to make non-standard mathematics independent of infinite set theory. The vague concept "accessibility" is used coherently within finite set theory whose…
Mathematical conception of infinite quantities forms a cornerstone of many disciplines of modern mathematics --- from differential calculus to set theory. In fact, it could be argued that the most significant revolutions in mathematics in…
Every physical measuring needs a finite, different from zero measurement time and provides information in form of the choice of a measurement result from all possible measurement results. If infinitely many (different) measurement results…
The indeterministic outcome of a measurement of an individual quantum is certified by the impossibility of the simultaneous, definite, deterministic pre-existence of all conceivable observables from physical conditions of that quantum…
Two permutations of the natural numbers diverge if the absolute value of the difference of their elements in the same position goes to infinity. We show that there exists an infinite number of pairwise divergent permutations of the…
The natural logarithm can be represented by an infinite series that converges for all positive real values of the variable, and which makes concavity patently obvious. Concavity of the natural logarithm is known to imply, among other…
Limit can be defined by two axioms: 1. Strict inequality between limits implies, ultimately, strict inequality between functions. 2. For constant functions limit is trivial. How can basic results on convergence be derived from these axioms?…
An actual infinity of colliding balls can be in a configuration in which the laws of mechanics lead to logical inconsistency. It is argued that one should therefore limit the domain of these laws to a finite, or only a potentially infinite…
This article, written in German language, gives a very elementary introduction to infinite sets. It is meant for interested non-mathematicians.
We develop new aspects of the the of numerosity theory; more exactly, we emphasize its relation with the ordinal numbers, cardinal numbers, hyperreal numbers and surreal numbers. In particular, we combine the notion of numerosity with the…
We consider the fragment F of first order arithmetic in which quantification is restricted to ''for all but finitely many.'' We show that the integers form an F-elementary substructure of the real numbers. Consequently, the F-theory of…
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…
We argue that whether the universe is infinite or finite is less crucial than usually supposed. Paradoxes of repeating behaviour in the infinite, or eternal inflationary, universe can be alleviated by a realistic definition of differing…
This contribution is a technical description of details for implementing infinite elements. The novelty is the closed, analytic form used for most quantities.
We propose a reinterpretation of the continuum grounded in the stratified structure of definability rather than classical cardinality. In this framework, a real number is not an abstract point on the number line, but an object expressible…