this post was submitted on 27 Oct 2025
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[–] webadict@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago (2 children)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperreal_number

Infinite numbers are numbers. Infinity is not a real number, but it is a hyperreal number, and thus a number.

[–] nicolauz@feddit.org 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Just because the concept of infinite numbers exists, still doesn't mean that the concept of Infinity is itself a number

[–] webadict@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Why do you believe that? We can potentially fix that if you explain your reasoning, and I can point out the issue with it, since hyperreal numbers are not the only set of numbers that contain infinity, but was an easy example to show it.

[–] nicolauz@feddit.org 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Why do you believe it is the same? As in: isn't this more of a philosophical question?

You could even go one back and ask if infinite numbers are a useful/practical/sensical concept in themselves.

Infinities are a beast by themselves, and, to go back to the meme: Definitely do not belong in the big number club!!! 😉

[–] webadict@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

That wasn't an answer. That was a deflection. Why do you think infinity isn't a number? A lot of people are told this in middle school and high school mathematics, and it is true that infinity is not a real number, but this can lead to the misconception that infinity isn't a number.

But... Infinity has many practical applications, the least of which are limits, differentiation, and integrals in calculus, as well as its opposite infinitesimals. There are many scientific and engineering principles that rely on these mathematical functions. That's a silly thing to think :p

[–] xia@lemmy.sdf.org -1 points 2 days ago

I wish I could say that I was surprised, but to those not mired in mathematical sophistry... infinity is the furthest concept from a number... it has no known practical use, renders numerical comparisons and operations meaningless, and destroys all numbers to which it comes into contact. If anything, I would sooner accept that it is an anti-number. :)