Philosophical Perspectives on Infinity

Exploring philosophical questions about infinity, Graham Oppy examines how the infinite lurks everywhere, both in science and in our ordinary thoughts about the world. He also analyzes the many puzzles and paradoxes that follow in the train of the infinite, addressing such simple notions as counting, adding, and maximizing present serious difficulties. Other topics examined include the nature of space and time, infinities in physical science, infinities in theories of probability and decision, the nature of part/whole relations, mathematical theories of the infinite, and infinite regression and principles of sufficient reason.

• Provides detailed treatment of a wide range of puzzles about infinity and the infinite • Discusses the role of the infinite in many different parts of philosophy: metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science and mathematics • Addresses questions in metaphysics, epistemology, and philosophy of science that are of the utmost importance for philosophy of religion

Introduction; 1. Beginnings and puzzles; 2. Mathematical preliminaries; 3. Some cases discussed; 4. Space, time, and spacetime; 5. Physical infinities; 6. Probability and decision theory; 7. Mereology; 8. Philosophical theories; 9. Infinite regress and sufficient reason.