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added Cantor's diagonalization, as both a mathematical and philosophical concept
'''Diagonalization''' is a technique first used by [[Cantor|George Cantor]], a [[Germany|German]] [[Mathematician|mathematician]]. He used it to show that the [[Cardinality|cardinality]] of the [[Real_number|real numbers]] is not equal to the cardinality of the [[Natural_number|natural numbers]], thereby demonstrating one [[Infinity|infinity]] is bigger than the other infinity.
This method can be applied to any infinite set to construct an even larger infinite set. The method uses the [[Axiom_of_Choice|Axiom of Choice]].
===Diagonalization and the Existence of God===
Some have cited diagonalization as a formal challenge to [[Saint_Anselm|Saint Anselm]]'s argument for the existence of God. In summary, Anselm argued that there must be a greatest idea and what could be greater than God? Therefore God exists.<ref>http://www.ephilosopher.com/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?104130</ref>
However, diagonalization argues that no greatest idea can exist: quite bluntly, God is infinite, therefore He can be diagonalized to produce an even greater infinite.<ref>''Topo-philosophies: Plato's Diagonals, Hegel's Spirals, and Irigaray's Multifolds'', Arkady Plotnitsky. In ''After Poststructuralism: Writing the Intellectual History of Theory'' Tilottama Rajan, Michael James.</ref> This seeming [[Disprove|disproof]] of the existence of God has cast doubt on the validity of Cantor's diagonalization. In particular, it provides yet another counterintuitive conclusion from the dubious [[Axiom_of_Choice|Axiom of Choice]].
[[Category:Mathematics]][[Category:Philosophy]]
This method can be applied to any infinite set to construct an even larger infinite set. The method uses the [[Axiom_of_Choice|Axiom of Choice]].
===Diagonalization and the Existence of God===
Some have cited diagonalization as a formal challenge to [[Saint_Anselm|Saint Anselm]]'s argument for the existence of God. In summary, Anselm argued that there must be a greatest idea and what could be greater than God? Therefore God exists.<ref>http://www.ephilosopher.com/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?104130</ref>
However, diagonalization argues that no greatest idea can exist: quite bluntly, God is infinite, therefore He can be diagonalized to produce an even greater infinite.<ref>''Topo-philosophies: Plato's Diagonals, Hegel's Spirals, and Irigaray's Multifolds'', Arkady Plotnitsky. In ''After Poststructuralism: Writing the Intellectual History of Theory'' Tilottama Rajan, Michael James.</ref> This seeming [[Disprove|disproof]] of the existence of God has cast doubt on the validity of Cantor's diagonalization. In particular, it provides yet another counterintuitive conclusion from the dubious [[Axiom_of_Choice|Axiom of Choice]].
[[Category:Mathematics]][[Category:Philosophy]]