A Brief History of InfinityIn A Brief History of Infinity, the infinite in all its forms - viewed from the perspective of mathematicians, philosophers, and theologians - is explored, as Zellini strives to explain this fundamental principle. What is the difference between trueand false infinity? How might we explain away the puzzle of Zeno's paradox? And how is the concept of infinity helping us as we wrestle with the fundamental uncertainties of the quantum world? Paolo Zellini shows that the concept of the infinite is a multifaceted one, and eloquently demonstrates the manner in which humanity has attempted to comprehend that concept for millenia. |
Contents
Limit and | 15 |
Irrational Numbers | 38 |
The Infinite of St Thomas Aquinas | 56 |
Copyright | |
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absolute actual infinite analogous Anaximander antinomies apeiron Aquinas Aristotle Aristotle's arithmetic axiom Bolzano Bruno Cantor circle complete conceived concept concrete continuity continuum correspondence countable Dedekind defined definition Descartes described divine elements Émile Borel English version entity equal example existence fact finite formal function geometric Giordano Bruno God's Gregory of Rimini Hence Ibid idea imagination implied indefinite infinite number infinite set infinitesimal infinitum infinity integers intuition invisible irrational numbers Italian translation language Leibniz limit logical magnitude mathematical mathematical proof means metaphysical Musil nature negative Nicholas of Cusa Non-Standard Analysis notion Novalis object paradox perfect perspective Philosophy Plato polygon possible potential infinite precise principle proof propositions pure Pythagorean quantity real numbers reality reference secundum sense Simone Simone Weil straight line Summa theologica symbol theorem theory things thought trans transfinite transfinite numbers Translator's Note truth Turin ultimate universe unlimited Weyl Wittgenstein writes wrote