What are the differences between "infinite" and "eternal"?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mohd Abdullah
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Infinite
AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the distinctions between the terms "infinite" and "eternal." "Infinite" refers to something that has no limits or ends, and can have a starting point, as illustrated by Cantor's countable infinity, which begins at 1 and continues indefinitely. In contrast, "eternal" signifies a state that lacks both a beginning and an end, specifically relating to time. The conversation explores whether "eternal" is a broader concept than "infinite," concluding that while "infinite" can encompass various contexts including time and space, "eternal" is strictly temporal and implies a more absolute continuity.
Mohd Abdullah
Messages
99
Reaction score
3
Hi.

What are exactly the differences between the term "infinite" and "eternal"? Some said the term "infinite" means no end but have beginning/starting for example, Cantor's countable infinity. While Cantor's countable infinity have no end, but we can START begin counting it from 1 and so on without stop.

While "eternal" means no beginning and end, so are the term "eternal" greater than "infinite"? Thoughts?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
"Eternal" means "lasts forever", referring to time. "Infinite" means "has no limit", referring to pretty much anything.
 
Mohd Abdullah said:
Hi.

What are exactly the differences between the term "infinite" and "eternal"? Some said the term "infinite" means no end but have beginning/starting for example, Cantor's countable infinity. While Cantor's countable infinity have no end, but we can START begin counting it from 1 and so on without stop.

While "eternal" means no beginning and end, so are the term "eternal" greater than "infinite"? Thoughts?

No, "infinite" CAN mean a beginning but no end, but it does not have to.

As Nick said, "infinite" can refer to most anything including time, space, things, etc, but "eternal" means having no beginning or end and always means in time, not in space.
 
Just ONCE, I wanted to see a post titled Status Update that was not a blatant, annoying spam post by a new member. So here it is. Today was a good day here in Northern Wisconsin. Fall colors are here, no mosquitos, no deer flies, and mild temperature, so my morning run was unusually nice. Only two meetings today, and both went well. The deer that was road killed just down the road two weeks ago is now fully decomposed, so no more smell. Somebody has a spike buck skull for their...
Thread 'RIP George F. Smoot III (1945-2025)'
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Smoot https://physics.berkeley.edu/people/faculty/george-smoot-iii https://apc.u-paris.fr/fr/memory-george-fitzgerald-smoot-iii https://elements.lbl.gov/news/honoring-the-legacy-of-george-smoot/ https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2006/smoot/facts/ https://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/200611/nobel.cfm https://inspirehep.net/authors/988263 Structure in the COBE Differential Microwave Radiometer First-Year Maps (Astrophysical Journal...
Back
Top