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Infinity
There's a facet of reality which doesn't lend itself
to rational analysis - it's called
'infinity'.
Infinity is an attribute of nature which absolutely defies
logical interpretation. It's not exempt from the laws of
nature and it's not contrary to reason, but it lies beyond
the domain of logic because it's not defined - and logic
requires definition.
There is a finite distance between every two points in the
Universe, but there is no point - however distant - where the
Universe ends. Some mistakenly believe that if there is a finite
distance between every pair of points then the
furthest point in the cosmos must be a finite
distance away. What they don't understand is that just
defining two points sways the realm of their consideration from
the infinite back to the finite. When dealing with infinity,
there is no 'furthest' and there is no
'all' - and the fact that no defined point
of infinity exists serves only to further validate the
concept.
The old 'balloon' ploy is often put forth
as a three-dimensional example of cosmic expansion in a
four-dimensional configuration. Stroking the ego of the unwary
layman for his ability to understand a hypothetical abstraction,
pundits propose this as an example of how the Universe is finite
but unbounded. The scholarly sleight of hand to which theorists
occasionally descend is, indeed, amazing. Three independent
values (XYZ coordinates) are all that is necessary to uniquely
specify any point of existence within the Universe - hence there
are said to be three 'dimensions' (more accurately, three
axes). If anyone wishes me to believe there are more than three
dimensions, then prove to me that there are locations in the
cosmos which cannot be specified within those coordinates. And if
the Universe were finite, then for any given point there must
exist another point within a finite distance at which travel in
any direction will not increase the distance between the two. If
someone wants me to believe the universe is finite, then all they
have to do is simply convince me that the value of at least one
of the XYZ coordinates has a limit.
"Beware and sail
ye not too far into space lest thou fallest from the
edge."
Nothing vs Infinity
Reality is usually measured and described within the
parameters of three basic criteria - quality, quantity and
location (dimensional position and configuration). Quantitatively
there is a negative equivalent for every positive value.
Dimensionally there is an opposite for every vector. If each of
the fundamental building blocks of the Universe is composed of
reciprocally balanced sets of qualities and anti-qualities, then
within the finite world the equivalent of Nothing
exists. But in the very real and not so 'relative' domain
of infinity, true Nothing exists - all in one place
at the same time.
(3) Consider the fractions
1/2 and 1/999 999,999,999,999,999 . As the denominator
of a fraction increases, its value decreases. Though infinity is
undefined and cannot be represented by a value, it is obvious
that if the numerator of a fraction is finite, then regardless
how large that numerator may be, the ratio of any finite quantity
compared to infinity is Ø.
(2) Using any given point
in space as the point of origin for an X,Y,Z axis, one may
theoretically extend equidistant lines to infinity throughout the
spectrum of three-dimensional coordinates. The procedure
inscribes a sphere which theoretically encompasses the Universe.
By definition, the selected point is the center of that sphere -
and the center of the Universe. Since the same can be done for
all points in the Universe, every point in the cosmos is its
center.
(1) If every quality has a
reciprocal, then the sum of the qualities in the Universe has a
'null' value. The equivalent of nothing exists,
just not all in the same place...unless you look at it from the
point of view above (infinity).
From the perspective of infinity, nothing exists (1), has no size (3) and no relative location (2). It is the only perspective from
which quantitative, qualitative and dimensional values all
vanish. (Ø).
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