Math Forum Discussions

Virgil

Posts: 8,833
Registered: 1/6/11

Re: Matheology � 254
Posted: Apr 18, 2013 4:19 PM

Plain Text

In article
<27e045f8-53df-4ae3-bc30-36fd38821e6b@c15g2000vbl.googlegroups.com>,
WM <mueckenh@rz.fh-augsburg.de> wrote:

> Matheology § 254
>
> 1. Finite cannot comprehend, contain, the Infinite. - Yet an inch
> or minute, say, are finites, and are divisible ad infinitum, that is,
> their terminated division incogitable.
> 2. Infinite cannot be terminated or begun. - Yet eternity ab ante
> ends now; and eternity a post begins now. So apply to Space.
> 3. There cannot be two infinite maxima. - Yet eternity ab ante and
> a post are two infinite maxima of time.
> 4. Infinite maximum if cut in two, the halves cannot be each
> infinite, for nothing can be greater than infinite, and thus they
> could not be parts; nor finite, for thus two finite halves would make
> an infinite whole.
> 5. What contains infinite quantities (extensions, protensions,
> intensions) cannot be passed through, - come to an end. An inch, a
> minute, a degree contains these; ergo, &c. Take a minute. This
> contains an infinitude of protended quantities, which must follow one
> after another; but an infinite series of successive protensions can,
> ex termino, never be ended; ergo, &c.
> 6. An infinite maximum cannot but be all-inclusive. Time ab ante
> and a post infinite and exclusive of each other; ergo, &c.
> 7. An infinite number of quantities must make up either an infinite
> or a finite whole. I. The former. - But an inch, a minute, a degree,
> contain each an infinite number of quantities; therefore an inch, a
> minute, a degree, are each infinite wholes; which is absurd. II. The
> latter. - An infinite number of quantities would thus make up a finite
> quantity, which is equally absurd.
> John Stuart Mill

Clearly JSM is no more of a mathematician than WM.
--