Further to Prof V Krishnamurthi's observation about infinity

[Guest guest]

From recent commentary by Prof V Krishnamurti

 

snip

<<There is a beautiful analogy from the mathematical world for this. There

are

several levels of infinity in Mathematics. The lowest level of infinity is

that of the set of numbers 1,2,3, ... . A higher (larger) level of infinity

is that of all points on any line segment. It is a difficult proposition to

decide whether this higher level is really the next higher level or whether

there is another level of infinity in between. That there is no such

intermediate level was conjectured for long. In the thirties Godel proved

that this conjecture cannot be disproved. In the sixties Cohen proved that

it cannot also be proved. Thus this conjecture has got the famous stature

of an 'undecidable' proposition in Mathematics.This undecidability is the

status of mAyA in vedanta.>>

 

 

Response from Jay

 

It is not only the in-between concept of middle infinities that reflect

concepts of Maya but the whole idea of infinite at any level that reflects

the concept of Maya in Vedanta.

 

The idea of infinity itself is very difficult to come to terms with. Godels

incompleteness theorem is perhaps his best contribution to mathematics. In

simple terms it says " Mathematics cannot prove mathematics " . All this

arises due to infinity.

 

We may feel that we understand the idea of infinity. Many religions give

this quality to the concept of God. Yet when we try to pinpoint it - we

get into difficulties. We think it is so simple to grasp and yet it is not.

 

With the natural numbers - infinity arises - you cannot do without it. You

cannot have a cut-off point.

 

With the concept of all points in a line or on a plane infinity arises

within the finite!!

 

When I talk at senior schools about the role of spirituality - I have great

fun when I bring in the concept of infinity. I say without infinity

mathematics will collapse and yet you cannot really make sense of it in

finite terms (it defies the laws of finite).

I tell them " A prophet who sees God has the same problem - he cannot explain

this God in finite terms but is quite sure of Him. "

 

jay