The Concept of Infinity

How would you explain the concept of infinity to an alien?

>protip: you cant

Introduce zero. Introduce divide by zero, which is infinite. Done.

Why an alien? Like some sort of intelligence demonstration?

Just show you can do basic counting and geometry. Draw one dot, then 2 dots next to that, then 3 dots next to that, and so on. Draw a triangle, square... whatever has 5 sides... etc.

So you're saying our whole modern science is based on a concept introduced by (lemme quote that):
>Draw one dot, then 2 dots next to that, then 3 dots next to that, and so on. Draw a triangle, square... whatever has 5 sides... etc.
?

That's calculus for you, folks. Straight outta Veeky Forums.

>whatever has 5 sides

A set is infinite if it is isomorphic to a strict subset.

>proven by induction
>which explicitly uses the concept of infinity
Circular reasoning, aren't we?

I... what? I didn't prove anything. Nor did I reason.

I gave a *definition* of infinity, as OP asked. I'm not sure what you think "proof" or "reasoning" mean, but this isn't it.

draw a triangle
draw a square
draw a pentagon
draw a hexagon
get fucking bored and draw a circle

if they don't understand then you're trying to explain infinity to an idiot

I would simply show write down the set of all infinite sets, which happens to be finite

{}

Why do you always make these shit threads?

Who the fuck are you?

>alien
Assuming you mean the non-Mexican type, shit I'd be asking it to explain infinity to me.

That's not infinity because it has a start point of three sides. Infinity can not have a start or end point.

If you're asking us for a way to prove to ayylmaos that you're an intelligent life form, I think the fastest, simplest way would be to represent a right triangle. Draw pic related for them. This also has the added benefit of breaching language barriers, assuming they don't have some high-tech universal translator.

I would show them Doctor Wildberger's videos and reason with them until they understood that infinity is a fundamentally flawed concept and doesn't exist.

Wew lad, you're dense.

Of course I have some measure of density. All physical objects do.

Also, the example cant be infinity because it deals with discrete integers for the number of sides.

the rationals are dense

Infinity is the limit of the sequence. The sequence containing discrete integers or starting with 3 is completely irrelevant.

Someone who doesn't repeat something he heard on a youtube video everyday?

>t. Guillaume de l'hôpital

Infinity would contain all numbers from negative infinity to positive infinity as well as all numbers that have infentisimally small marginal differences, e.g. 3.0000000000000000000000000001. Leaving out these numbers would indicate an incomplete understanding of the concept of infinity. If the aforementioned geometric shape side series was used as an example, the Alien intelligence would think us fools and barter earth from us for a worthless bag of space rocks.

p e n t a g o n

>Infinity would contain all numbers from negative infinity to positive infinity
What do you mean by contain? This is just nonsense. In mathematics, infinity is most commonly used to denote an unbounded limit. This does not imply it is unbounded in all directions or dimensions. For example, the positive integers have a minimum value but no maximum value. There are infinite positive numbers.

Take your meds and learn some math before shitposting.

the point is to use a universal, pictographic language which is basic as fuck. writing numbers, or spewing them out your word hole would make no sense, they would probably get annoyed and space you.

spacefaring aliens will be able to grasp dots and shapes.

>How would you explain the concept of infinity to an alien?
Easy. It's an ongoing process without an end, think of it as floating in space without hitting anything

>implying aliens can "see"

Tell them about earth stupidity and say that what infinity is

x = 0
tell them to keep on doing:
x = x + 1