If the Universe is finite, should it have some sort of boundary? If yes, then what lies beyond that boundary? If there is nothing beyond, then how can we define the boundary (and therefore finiteness) in the first place? And if there is something, then why don't we consider this something being a part of the Universe?
This quotation is usually attributed to Albert Einstein:
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe!". See http://quoteinvestigator.com/2010/05/04/universe-einstein/ for more informations.
@ julien. The god is infinite , after all the creator of all things, but as human beings we understand the universe through a particular prism. We are used to it as per our capabalities.
Sir should we believe that E inestin was inclined to the finite state of the universe ?
The concept of infinity has developed its role and its multiplicity of meanings very slowly throughout the history of Western philosophy. The ‘Infinite’ was not in fact the specific subject of the debate from the beginning, but after the obscure hint of Anaximander, the term slipped grammatically from the role of the subject to that of the predicate, becoming a quality (negative) able to determine what Being can not be said (and think). "Anaximander said that the principle of beings is infinity (ápeiron) .... where in fact the beings have the source, there even have the destruction according to necessity, since they pay each other's worth and expiation of injustice in the order of time. »
This negative meaning at the beginning belonged to the Pythagoreans for whom only what is done is perfect as accomplished, in that it does not need anything for its completeness; otherwise for the infinite, which has no end because it will never be finished, accomplished in his reality. This explains why long their odd numbers were considered perfect because they were represented geometrically closed figures, carried out: not so the even numbers who were imperfect because geometrically always open, unfinished, infinity.
If the Universe is finite, should it have some sort of boundary? If yes, then what lies beyond that boundary? If there is nothing beyond, then how can we define the boundary (and therefore finiteness) in the first place? And if there is something, then why don't we consider this something being a part of the Universe?
Alquran (Holy Book ) describes seven skies and after the last seventh sky, Allah;s Arsh and He (ALLAH) is on his Arsh controlling the super system of universe being a super power..
Our ideas of the sizes of our Universe are defined by technical characteristics of instruments applied in Astronomy - their resolution. But in the process of instrumental improvement the borders of our Universe are moved apart. And in this sense - the Universe is infinite.
The ratio of first sky to the second sky is like the ratio of a kitchen plate/dish kept outside in the open plane area to that open plane area. Similarly, the ratio of second sky to the third and ratio of 3rd to the 4th-------------and at last the ration of 6th sky to the 7th sky and the ratio of 7th sky to Arsh of ALLAH. Ratio cannot be made with Allah Almighty.
What is the limit of human thinking? I would say that if there exists a certain threshold in that, then there should be a limit is space too, thus a finite universe. We simply cannot understand beyond that. On the other hand, this does not suggest a specific structure of the universe.
Good question. Arguably it may be said, it is finite with logical statements at the same time it may be said that it is infinite with other possible logical statement. I really wonder if could be any means or approach to verify it.
The theory of Big Bang is compatible with both cases: infinite universe and fine universe. The universe has no boundary in both cases. For the universe to have a boundary would be a contradiction. The word ''universe'' means ''All that exist''. Since nothing by definition can be outside the universe then the universe cannot have a boundary. Right now all data available are compatible with both the infinite universe case and the fine universe case. If the universe is infinite then the initial singularity was also infinite in size.