InfiniteInfinity

CallumMacdonald

Onceuponaprimeduringthelate19thandearly20thcenturiestherewasamancuriouslyingenious,
perhapscrazy,namedGeorgCantorheinvokedmanydifferentthoughtsandideasofinfinity.Infinite
infinities.Somanydifferentconceptsanddifferenttheories,hisworkinlifegothimanawardfromthe
RoyalSocietyTheSylvesterMedalthehighestawardyoucanreceiveformath.Obviouslymaking
himsupersmartoratleastgoodwithnumbers.

Attackingback,noholdingback,Georgdefendedhisideasandwouldntchangethemforhewasa
stubbornman.HebelievedthathisideaforinfinityhadbeengiventohimfromgodGodhadspokento
himandgavehimtheseideas.Howeverhealsohaddepressionandbipolardisordersothatcouldhave
leadhimtothinkthatthoseideaswerefromgodbutinactualityhecameupwiththem.Infactsome
ChristianswereangeredbyhisideasofinfinitythatsupposedlySomeChristiantheologians(particularly
neoScholastics)sawCantor'sworkasachallengetotheuniquenessoftheabsoluteinfinityinthenature
ofGodTheyevenrelatedthetheoryofinfinitywithpantheism,thebeliefthatgodiseverywhereand
notabeing.Cantordidnotlikethatideaanddismisseditrightaway.

Whatwasthisideaexactlythathehad?Hethoughtofinfinityasaconceptandnotanumberhethought
ofitasneverendingandthattherecanbemultipleinfinitiesyetnoinfinityisnecessarilybiggerthan
anothernomatterhowmanythereare.Itsstillinfinity.

Stillmakingeveryonecuriouswhatexactlyinfinityis.Howitrelatestomathandwhatthepointis,left
Cantorpondering.Infinityisaneverendingvalue,therecanbelargerorsmallerinfinitiesbutthatfact
makesitcurious.Ifithasalargerandsmalleramounthowisthatpossibleifitisnotevenanumberbut
ratheraconceptofneverendingness.ItISanumberbutnotanumberthatendsitisatheorybuta
neverendingtheory.Thesethoughtsdrovehimcrazy,hisideasscaredhimintoinsanity.Leavinghim
deadinthoughtatage72.