Infinity: does it exist?? A debate with James Franklin and N J Wildberger

Infinity has long been a contentious issue in mathematics, and in philosophy. Does it exist? How can we know? What about our computers, that only work with finite objects and procedures? Doesn't mathematics require infinite sets to establish analysis? What about different approaches to the philosophy of mathematics--can they guide us?

In this friendly debate, Prof James Franklin and A/Prof Norman Wildberger of the School of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, UNSW, debate the question of `infinity' in mathematics.

Along the way you'll hear about Jim's new book: `An Aristotelian Realist Philosophy of Mathematics: Mathematics as the Science of Quantity and Structure', published this year by Palgrave MacMillan.

Unfortunately, the microphone could not pick up audience questions and responses very well. The correct answer to Norman's question at the end of the game he described was given by Roberto Riedig: `any number you want'! As for this interesting game itself, Norman seems to remember getting the idea from Wolfgang Mueckenheim, who also ventures into heretical waters: see for example his paper "Physical Constraints of Numbers", Proceedings of the First International Symposium of Mathematics and its Connections to the Arts and Sciences, A. Beckmann, C. Michelsen, B. Sriraman (eds.), Franzbecker, Berlin 2005, p. 134 - 141.

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Screenshot PDFs for my videos are available at the website http://wildegg.com. These give you a concise overview of the contents of the lectures for various Playlists: great for review, study and summary.

My research papers can be found at my Research Gate page, at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/

My blog is at http://njwildberger.com/, where I will discuss lots of foundational issues, along with other things.

Online courses will be developed at openlearning.com. The first one, already underway is Algebraic Calculus One at https://www.openlearning.com/courses/... Please join us for an exciting new approach to one of mathematics' most important subjects!

If you would like to support these new initiatives for mathematics education and research, please consider becoming a Patron of this Channel at   / njwildberger   Your support would be much appreciated.

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Here are all the Insights into Mathematics Playlists:

Elementary Mathematics (K-6) Explained:    / playlist  
list=PL8403C2F0C89B1333
Year 9 Maths:    • Year9Maths  
Ancient Mathematics:    • Ancient Mathematics  
Wild West Banking:    • Wild West Banking  
Sociology and Pure Mathematics:    • Sociology and Pure Mathematics  
Old Babylonian Mathematics (with Daniel Mansfield):    / playlist  
list=PLIljB45xT85CdeBmQZ2QiCEnPQn5KQ6ov
Math History:    • MathHistory: A course in the History ...  
Wild Trig: Intro to Rational Trigonometry:    • WildTrig: Intro to Rational Trigonometry  
MathFoundations:    • Math Foundations  
Wild Linear Algebra:    • Wild Linear Algebra  
Famous Math Problems:    • Famous Math Problems  
Probability and Statistics: An Introduction:    • Probability and Statistics: an introd...  
Boole's Logic and Circuit Analysis:    • Boole's Logic and Circuit Analysis  
Universal Hyperbolic Geometry:    • Universal Hyperbolic Geometry  
Differential Geometry:    • Differential Geometry  
Algebraic Topology:    • Algebraic Topology  
Math Seminars:    • MathSeminars  
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And here are the Wild Egg Maths Playlists:

Triangle Centres:    • ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TRIANGLE CENTERS  
Six: An elementary course in pure mathematics:    • Six: An elementary course in Pure Mat...  
Algebraic Calculus One:    • Algebraic Calculus One  
Algebraic Calculus Two:    • Algebraic Calculus Two  
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