Numbers are infinite, so why would the universe not be infinite?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the relationship between numbers and the universe, questioning whether numbers are inherent to the universe or merely human inventions. Participants argue that while mathematics helps describe the universe, it is ultimately a man-made construct. Some suggest that numbers are discovered through observation, while others maintain that they are invented concepts. The debate touches on the existence of mathematical rules and their applicability to understanding the universe. The conversation concludes with a suggestion that the topic has become nonsensical, leading to its closure.
goldust
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After all, numbers are part of the universe. :biggrin:
 
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goldust said:
After all, numbers are part of the universe.

Are they? Why do you think this? What evidence do you have of this?
 
R136a1 said:
Are they? Why do you think this? What evidence do you have of this?

Haven't you seen that constellation that looks like a 6? If you look good you'll see it whenever and wherever you like ;)

/end sarcasm

R136a1 has a valid point.
Numbers are man-made, we look for a way to describe the universe using maths. It's not that maths is inherent to the universe. If we didn't have math however, there would be so many puzzling things.
It is however impossible to say whether there can exist a more natural language to describe the universe. Also because we can't think of such things without imagining them.
 
erhm how can you formulate a length without numbers?

Therefore numbers are still invented. As is geometry, topology and whatever you can come up with.

Troll?
 
Enough nonsense. Closed.
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recombination_(cosmology) Was a matter density right after the decoupling low enough to consider the vacuum as the actual vacuum, and not the medium through which the light propagates with the speed lower than ##({\epsilon_0\mu_0})^{-1/2}##? I'm asking this in context of the calculation of the observable universe radius, where the time integral of the inverse of the scale factor is multiplied by the constant speed of light ##c##.
The formal paper is here. The Rutgers University news has published a story about an image being closely examined at their New Brunswick campus. Here is an excerpt: Computer modeling of the gravitational lens by Keeton and Eid showed that the four visible foreground galaxies causing the gravitational bending couldn’t explain the details of the five-image pattern. Only with the addition of a large, invisible mass, in this case, a dark matter halo, could the model match the observations...
Hi, I’m pretty new to cosmology and I’m trying to get my head around the Big Bang and the potential infinite extent of the universe as a whole. There’s lots of misleading info out there but this forum and a few others have helped me and I just wanted to check I have the right idea. The Big Bang was the creation of space and time. At this instant t=0 space was infinite in size but the scale factor was zero. I’m picturing it (hopefully correctly) like an excel spreadsheet with infinite...

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