A thought given by an 8 year old.

[iridium]

In a recent discussion about numbers with an 8 year old boy, I witnessed the young lad grappling with the concept of infinity. You see, a friend of his told him that numbers have a begining and an end. He, on the other hand, believed they kept going. He couldn't explain why, so I simply told him, "Because you can always add one." He smiled, and walked away.

I then got to thinking about the universe, its origins, the concept of finite matter. I believe that some scientists theorize that the amount of matter in the universe is finite. But, given the concept that the human brain can always add "one" does that disprove the concept of finite matter? Now granted, a thought doesn't have mass and isn't considered matter, but the fact that there is no end to what the human mind can think of has to mean something. If you come up with a final thought, THE LAST THOUGHT, I will just say, THE LAST THOUGHT plus one. /ttiforum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Skeptic]

This is going to sound nuts, but I think we live in a infinite recursive universe. It just constantly folds unto itself. This why I think size is also relative. Do atoms act like solar systems and what are atoms made of?

Anyway, I doubt that an 8 year smiling at the idea that you can always add one number as showing understanding of infinity.

 

[JScannell]

The way I heard it explained is that the number of atoms and the number of lives at any given point in time is always finite but that the quantity of atoms and lives changes from moment to moment. I could explain how and why but it would be very hard to accept and impossible for me to prove.

 

[Skeptic]

Well that would be a serious problem, Jim, at least in my mind, considering that there is only 1 individual being and that is energy. There is nothing, even at this very moment, that separates you and I or the keyboard I type on....it is simply a matter of our limited perspective to believe my cluster of energy is separate than yours. It is scary, but everything we do has an infinite amount of reaction in the universe and it is forever expanding. At least this is my opinion. (Fictional Ref of idea: Edgar Allan Poe: Power Of Words.)

I think if we merge the idea of time relativity and space relativity and realized that no matter what we do and with every action no matter how subtle we effect countless ‘lives’ and irreparably change the state of our existence. This would also demerit the principle of good and evil…after all when I make a camp fire I change whole galaxies and probably inadvertently destroy countless lives; would that be considered evil?

 

[JScannell]

I do not believe in good and evil, only cause and effect. I believe (I say that when I can not prove what I say) that, as you said, there is only One, and that all of my actions really only affect myself which is represented in countless other lives and is brought to bear against the one I call myself. Therefore, in the end I will understand the consequences of all of my actions sooner or later. The more spiritually advanced a person is, the more they can predict these consequences and the faster they are able to actually realize them after the action sets effects in motion.

In 1986 an experiment showed that when two electrons reach a certain rate of vibration then whatever someone does to one is instantly reflected in the other, regardless of the distance seperating them. I believe the rate of vibration was only a factor because it was necessary to make the effect someone caused on an electron noticeable. No matter what rate an electron (or any particle of matter) is vibrating at, a change is felt by all particles everywhere. This is because there really is only One "thing" in existance that is percieved as many.