Infinity: The Science of Endless | 2014

"The infinite! No other question has ever moved so profoundly the spirit of man," said David Hilbert, one of the most influential mathematicians of the 19th century. A subject extensively studied by philosophers, mathematicians, and more recently, physicists and cosmologists, infinity still stands as an enigma of the intellectual world. Thinkers clash over questions such as: Does infinity exist? Can it be found in the physical world? What types of infinity are there? Through an interdisciplinary discussion with some of the world's leading thinkers, this program will delve into the many facets of infinity and address some of the deepest questions and controversies that mention of the infinite continues to inspire.

This program is part of the Big Ideas Series, made possible with support from the John Templeton Foundation.

The World Science Festival gathers great minds in science and the arts to produce live and digital content that allows a broad general audience to engage with scientific discoveries. Our mission is to cultivate a general public informed by science, inspired by its wonder, convinced of its value, and prepared to engage with its implications for the future.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for all the latest from WSF.
Visit our Website: http://www.worldsciencefestival.com/
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worldscience...
Follow us on twitter: https://twitter.com/WorldSciFest

Original Program Date: May 31, 2013
MODERATOR: Keith Devlin
PARTICIPANTS: Raphael Bousso, Philip Clayton, Steven Strogatz, W. Hugh Woodin

What is Infinity? 00:04

Philip Clayton and the history of Infinity? 2:34

Philosopher Mahavira's role in infinity. 7:22

Steven Strogatz and the mathematics of infinity. 14:16

Hilbert's infinite hotel 18:04

What is Cantor's diagonal proof? 25:05

Continuum hypothesis and what it means to infinity. 28:16

Hugh Woodin and solving the Continuum hypothesis 29:44

Raphael Bousso on infinity and its role in physics. 37:20

Using infinity to make accurate predictions. 47:35

Infinity: Mathematics, Physics and Philosophy. 53:04

Mathematical equivalence of full sentences. 57:10

What is infinity only works as a mental concept? 1:06:30

Final thoughts on infinity? 1:14:20