Infinity

and Endless Earths

An infinite universe would mean Infinite, identical Earths

The fact that we know how to pronounce “infinite”, the fact that it’s a word that we know the common definition of (which according to the New Oxford American Dictionary is “Limitless or endless in space, extent, or size”), this tends to lull us into a sense of false security that we actually know what infinite means.

Well, the Oxford proceeds with its definition thus: “impossible to measure or calculate.” Okay, with this Oxford has now performed its legal obligation to tell the truth to the best of its ability. Even so, we still think we know what infinite actually means: larger than very, very, very large times a trillion, at least, something like that, only bigger.

Still, not even close.

For when you stop to ponder: in an infinite universe, there would be an infinite number of planets identical to Earth, and when I say “identical” I mean down to the tiniest sub-atomic particle. Also, these infinite identical Earths would remain identical forever — each particle in the infinite copies of Earth moving in exactly identical patterns at exactly the same pace all the way to the sun going supernova and, well, inhaling an infinity of such Earths and then sighing out an absolute parallel of ex-Earth into the infinite void.

And not only would there be an infinity of such identical Earths, there would also be an infinity of Earths identical but for one single subatomic particle that is one billionth of a millimeter to the left of its infinite counterparts in this infinity. And, yes, an infinite number of these, too. And an infinite number of Earths identical apart from two such non-identical particles, and so on — you can see where this is going.

We think we fathom “infinite” by imagining very, very large, but that, as I said, doesn’t even come close — in fact, it’s infinitely far off.

Oxford’s disclaimer is amazingly apropos: impossible to measure or calculate. I would stress the word “impossible” here.

There are no outer borders to infinite. There are no ups or downs. In an infinite universe every point is at its very center, wherever that point might be. Or, more to the point (pun intended) there cannot be a center in an infinite universe.

When you hear someone proclaim, sure, the universe is infinite, we know that, you have the right to ask this proclaimer to give this a little additional thought, as per the above perhaps.

Infinite is indeed incomprehensibly large. Imagine the logical impossibility of two identical Earths, down to the final sub-atomic particle. Then imagine an infinite amount of such identical Earths — along with infinite variations on this theme. And we still have a long, long way to go to even make a dent into filling up the infinity of such a universe.

In fact, it is un-fillable.

I guess this is the long way of expressing my view that this universe of ours is in fact finite. At any given point there is a certain (very large, to be sure) number of sub-atomic particles in it — we could in fact count them if we had a good enough microscope and a lot of time on our hands along with a bucketful (or two) of patience and persistence.

Near infinite.

Not infinite.

© Wolfstuff