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Ep. 59 - Can You Approach Infinity? | Dr. Michael Huemer

Ep. 59 - Can You Approach Infinity? | Dr. Michael Huemer

FromPatterson in Pursuit


Ep. 59 - Can You Approach Infinity? | Dr. Michael Huemer

FromPatterson in Pursuit

ratings:
Length:
80 minutes
Released:
May 28, 2017
Format:
Podcast episode

Description

The most popular resolution to Zeno's paradoxes is to say, "Calculus solves it!" But, as I've written and spoken about before, the logic of calculus might be dubious. Can we really complete an infinite series? My guest this week is Dr. Michael Huemer, who has recently written a book called Approaching Infinity, where he claims that the modern theory of infinities do need to be revised - that calculus does not solve Zeno's paradoxes - and that we have to distinguish between completable and non-completable infinities. Though Dr. Huemer and I disagree on the metaphysics of mathematics, and I have an even more radical position on infinities, we agree that more work needs to be done to place modern mathematics onto sounder footing.
Released:
May 28, 2017
Format:
Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Interviews with intellectuals from across the globe. Exploring philosophy, politics, religion, and rationalism. Steve Patterson is an independent philosopher currently traveling the world to interview people in the pursuit of truth. Topics include logic and epistemology, skepticism, metaphysics, ethics, science and religion, truth, Christianity, Buddhism, atheism, culture, economics, the philosophy of mathematics, and every other topic that's important to humans.