Calculus: 1000 Mile Dimension Sans Thickness

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the philosophical and abstract interpretations of calculus, exploring concepts of dimension, thickness, and the nature of infinity. Participants engage in a blend of poetic expression and technical reasoning, examining the implications of calculus in both mathematical and metaphorical contexts.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants assert that something without thickness cannot be piled up, yet can exist in vast dimensions, prompting questions about the nature of limits in calculus.
  • Others propose that limits can be added together, suggesting that even infinitesimally small quantities can yield finite results, raising further inquiries about the implications of this idea.
  • Philosophical reflections emerge, with some arguing that the essence of calculus lies in the pursuit of understanding the infinite, while others critique the accessibility of such philosophical ideas to the general public.
  • Participants engage in poetic expressions, drawing parallels between calculus and broader existential themes, such as wisdom, despair, and the nature of reality.
  • There are references to various philosophical and literary figures, with some participants questioning the relevance of these allusions to the original topic of calculus.
  • A few participants express confusion about the direction of the discussion, suggesting it has veered into poetic territory rather than remaining focused on calculus.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

The discussion features multiple competing views and interpretations, with no clear consensus on the relationship between calculus and the philosophical themes being explored. Participants express differing opinions on the relevance and application of calculus in the context of their discussions.

Contextual Notes

Some statements rely on abstract interpretations and metaphorical language, which may obscure the mathematical principles of calculus. The discussion includes speculative ideas that are not universally accepted or defined.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in the philosophical implications of mathematics, abstract reasoning in calculus, or those who appreciate poetic expressions related to scientific concepts may find this discussion engaging.

oahz
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"That which has no thickness cannot be piled up; yet it is a thousand mile in dimension."
 
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oahz said:
"That which has no thickness cannot be piled up; yet it is a thousand mile in dimension."

Is that your genius there or are you quoting someone else, oahz?
 
From nothing arises that which we most seek, yet from everything comes our deepest despairs of infinite magnitude.

This is calculus.
 
I don't know, oahz, you can pile up a limit. I can take a few dx's and add them together. Do they have a thickness? Technically, yes. But I can add an infinite amount of them and get a very finite and, if I want, a very small volume. So what does that mean?
 
DiracPool said:
Is that your genius there or are you quoting someone else, oahz?

quoting someone else
 
oahz said:
"That which has no thickness cannot be piled up; yet it is a thousand mile in dimension."

True, but remember: "Only He who draws a line without thickness or breadth is capable of seeing the glory of the manifold kingdom"
 
AnTiFreeze3 said:
From nothing arises that which we most seek, yet from everything comes our deepest despairs of infinite magnitude.

It is not money that you desire, but the capability of conquering the infinite.
 
"x squared over two plus a constant"

Now that's calculus
 
micromass said:
It is not money that you desire, but the capability of conquering the infinite.

Ah, this is the purest essence of what lies within calculus. If only more were keen towards this philosophy as we are.
 
  • #10
AnTiFreeze3 said:
Ah, this is the purest essence of what lies within calculus. If only more were keen towards this philosophy as we are.

Philosophy for the masses is like gold for the pigs.
 
  • #11
micromass said:
Philosophy for the masses is like gold for the pigs.

Is that some derivative aphorism of "throwing pearls before swine?"
 
  • #12
micromass said:
Philosophy for the masses is like gold for the pigs.

Yet the accumulation of gold upon pigs has turned swine into men.

And calculus.
 
  • #13
AnTiFreeze3 said:
Yet the accumulation of gold upon pigs has turned swine into men.

And calculus.

Alas, he is but a man who throws diamonds in the infinite seas of wisdom. He never realized that the waters are made of vengeance and destruction.
 
  • #14
AnTiFreeze3 said:
From nothing arises that which we most seek, yet from everything comes our deepest despairs of infinite magnitude.
The Vulcan Science Directorate has defined this as true.

And, may I add - as a future relative of mine once will have learned again after having his Katra risen from beyond:
T'Plana-Hath said:
Nothing unreal exists.

Live long and prosper, Earthlings!
 
  • #15
micromass said:
Alas, he is but a man who throws diamonds in the infinite seas of wisdom. He never realized that the waters are made of vengeance and destruction.

Yet the man who succumbs to the ever lustful embrace of those vengeful waters and drowns within its depths also becomes the wisest of us all.
 
  • #16
Earthlings!
Ye shalt also not forget what Marlowe said:
Dead men don't wear plaid.

(Still no idea what that means, but never mind...)
 
  • #17
AnTiFreeze3 said:
Yet the man who succumbs to the ever lustful embrace of those vengeful waters and drowns within its depths also becomes the wisest of us all.

No words spoken were ever wiser than the foolish utterings of a young soldier dying in the war of love. It is only you, my friend, who suffers through the eternal fate of damnation and despair.
 
  • #18
micromass said:
It is not money that you desire, but the capability of conquering the infinite.

James Stewart might disagree. :biggrin:
 
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  • #19
micromass said:
No words spoken were ever wiser than the foolish utterings of a young soldier dying in the war of love. It is only you, my friend, who suffers through the eternal fate of damnation and despair.

But much as darkness cannot exist without the gleaning light of eternity, similarly would we be lost without the infinite contrast of ignorance and wisdom.
 
  • #20
How did this thread turn into some wannabe poetry slam?
 
  • #21
DiracPool said:
How did this thread turn into some wannabe poetry slam?

From the OP...
 
  • #22
micromass said:
From the OP...

Well, I think the OP fell on his own sword a while back...
 
  • #23
DiracPool said:
How did this thread turn into some wannabe poetry slam?

It's a quantum phenomenon:

[ontopic_here, sense] >= ℏ/2
 
  • #24
There's about as much calculus in this thread as there is in all of quantum mechanics.
 
  • #25
DiracPool said:
How did this thread turn into some wannabe poetry slam?

The Pool, of Dirac
It swarms full of doubt
Yet I shall reach my epoch
While you fall victim to drought

"Wannabe," that's me?
I'm the purest form
Of what we call poetry
In no terms, am I the norm
 
  • #26
AnTiFreeze3 said:
The Pool, of Dirac
It swarms full of doubt
Yet I shall reach my epoch
While you fall victim to drought

"Wannabe," that's me?
I'm the purest form
Of what we call poetry
In no terms, am I the norm

Lol. I'm sure there's a compliment in there somewhere.
 
  • #27
DiracPool said:
Lol. I'm sure there's a compliment in there somewhere.

Of course :smile:
 
  • #28
oahz said:
is this calculus?




THIS IS SPARTA!

Image source: http://www.bwmag.in/internet-memes
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #29
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