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| | [[Jesus]] taught the existence of infinity in multiple ways. Indeed, the [[Gospels]] and [[Epistle to the Hebrews]] are like a book of [[logic]] about infinity. This was contrary to the views of the greatest Greek mathematician and philosopher, [[Pythagoras]] and [[Aristotle]], who both incorrectly rejected that infinity could exist.<ref>See [[Math and the Bible]].</ref> The [[Old Testament]] has only indirect references to infinity. | | [[Jesus]] taught the existence of infinity in multiple ways. Indeed, the [[Gospels]] and [[Epistle to the Hebrews]] are like a book of [[logic]] about infinity. This was contrary to the views of the greatest Greek mathematician and philosopher, [[Pythagoras]] and [[Aristotle]], who both incorrectly rejected that infinity could exist.<ref>See [[Math and the Bible]].</ref> The [[Old Testament]] has only indirect references to infinity. |
| | == Anselm and Shakespeare == | | == Anselm and Shakespeare == |
| − | [[Anselm]] focused on infinity to prove the divinity of [[Christ]]. [[Chaucer]] referenced "infinity" in 1374, according to the [[OED]]. But [[Shakespeare]] used infinity more than anyone up until his time, in such classics as [[Hamlet]] ("A king of infinite space") and [[Romeo and Juliet]] (“My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite.”). | + | [[Anselm]] focused on infinity to prove the divinity of [[Christ]]. [[Chaucer]] referenced "infinity" in 1374, according to the [[OED]]. But [[Shakespeare]] used infinity more than anyone up until his time, in such classics as [[Hamlet]] ("A king of infinite space") and [[Romeo and Juliet]] (“My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite.”). This passage from Hamlet is particularly memorable in referring to the infinite:<ref>Hamlet, 2.2.314</ref> |
| | + | {{cquote|What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals!}} |
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| | == Similarities to zero == | | == Similarities to zero == |
| | Infinity has surprising similarities to [[zero]]. Neither can be diminished, and the multiplication or division of either cannot change it. While infinity and zero are opposites, neither is stronger or superior to the other: multiplication of infinity by zero yields an indeterminate result. As a pair they illustrate the logical truth that "the last shall be first, and the first shall be last" as taught by Jesus at the end of the parable of the vineyard workers, a parable that illustrates that infinity cannot be diminished. | | Infinity has surprising similarities to [[zero]]. Neither can be diminished, and the multiplication or division of either cannot change it. While infinity and zero are opposites, neither is stronger or superior to the other: multiplication of infinity by zero yields an indeterminate result. As a pair they illustrate the logical truth that "the last shall be first, and the first shall be last" as taught by Jesus at the end of the parable of the vineyard workers, a parable that illustrates that infinity cannot be diminished. |