Is the Universe infinite, or not?

[FaatFaat]

Is the Universe infinite, or not? Beyond space bending back on itself which would assume space has a limit, what would be beyond that limit, infinity, or not?

[Stalker]

If it bends in on itself then there's no "beyond" to speak of.

[Haz]

iIf there was a "beyond" then i would think of it as nothing, nothing at all, not even time exits, just like what i think the universe was like before it started. P.S. Scientists are beginning to think as space in the shape of a trumpet. No really, it's true

[ThomasELEN]

Hey FaatFaat, if the universe bends back on itself, it seems as if it's periodic. I'm taking a Digital Signal Processing class and in analyzing signals, one property of some signals is called periodicity. If a signal is periodic, then it will go through this pattern for a set amount of time(or frequency in Hz, like +- Pi). After that amount, then the signal will start to repeat itself. This goes on for infinity. So, we can be at point 1 million on the x-axis in a graph and still be following this same basic pattern. So, at point 1 million, you're still at a different place, but it's exactly the same as some points seen before it. So, I think it's possible that space is displaying this periodic property. If we got into a spaceship and went around and around this one spot in space for 1 million times, then we'd be in a different spot, but it is still exaclty like spots seen before it. So if this periodicity is true, then space does go on for infinity, but there are only a set number of points in space. So, we'd be going on for infinity and still seeing the same things we saw earlier.

[Damascus]

Go down here, and read the post in philosophy entitled 'infinity.' That is my post and the subject of an infinite universe has already been exhausted, feel free to read it and post in it, but we already have another thread on this going.

[Rakkantekimusouka]

The universe is continually expanding, but it is practically subatomic within the Darkness (or Void) which surrounds it.

[FaatFaat]

When I write Universe (capital U) I mean absolutely everything, not universe (small u), which seems to only imply the galaxies created from the so called big bang.

[Joseph_Stalin]

Originally posted by Haz2004 P.S. Scientists are beginning to think as space in the shape of a trumpet. No really, it's true Trumpet = meaning of life and the universe??? Discuss.

[Umbrasquall]

Do you mean our universe? Or universes in general? Cause I think there are other universes out there.

[FaatFaat]

Universes, parallel universes, does it ever end? If you could somehow expand and be the entire Universe, would there be infinite space outside of yourself?

[LucidApple]

If the universe would be infinite what would be left to expand!

[Khronos]

I think of the universe as one big DNA stand, new data can attach itself, like time, existance, reality, mind, etc... Now what if for every DNA stand, there was a chocolate pie covering it? Or not just chocolate pie, but every sort of pie you can think of, a different one for each peace of DNA. This would be a multiverse, in each realm things would be different, there might not even be 'things' in one, a pie might just be empty! I think you all get what I'm talking about... But for those who do not understand my baked discussion, think of the universe as a pie. It is complete like an atom, now think of many pies, each one rotating another. Now think outside the pie, a giant pie store. And there are many different pie stores on the block, and so on. I'm going out to buy a pie, an apple pie...

[wurmspawn]

aside Originally posted by FaatFaat Is the Universe infinite, or not? There is a paradox inherent in the way you asked this question. (I can be anal just for the sake of bantering, so i'll continue despite understanding completely an intended meaning). "Is the Universe infinite" a yes or no question, "or not" another yes or no question. No matter which way you give your answer of yes or no, it will contradict itself in the second part of the phrase (This only works because you have submitted a single answer for both questions, which functions as a set of a single whole question). Try it, I think you will see... on a related note, Has anyone read GEB? by Hoffstader? I am currently loving it (it deals with paradoxes and infinity in a playful and in-depth fashion) on-topic i do believe the universe is infinite. in fact, i have developed faith in that. how does big U Universe differ from little u universe? We are not drifting into the dogmatic region of the Capitalized Concepts are we? If a Universe of universes (or megaverse as some like to call them) existed, then what about the !Universe of all Universes, would it include itself? Haz I am not sure i follow, is the trumpet shape what it looks like when all dimensions are reduced to a 3d projection?

[Flowstill]

Well, how should I know? If it was infinite, would there be change (time)? If it wasn't, what would be beyond it? So perhaps, the conscious universe is not infinite, but there is still infinite space of unconsious universe (Nothing) beyond it , which some believe is all there really is. Everything is Nothing. If it bends, what is the force that causes this bend? Black holes? Does all creation come out of black holes? Perhaps black holes are what's infinite and nothing, and we are the consciousness of the black hole. This would mean we are not infinite, but we do come from an infinite place. Blah? No point in trying to think about these things.