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Ideas for 'works', 'Letters to Samuel Clarke' and 'Coming-to-be and Passing-away (Gen/Corr)'

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6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 5. The Infinite / c. Potential infinite

13212	Infinity is only potential, never actual [Aristotle]
	Full Idea: Nothing is actually infinite. A thing is infinite only potentially.
	From: Aristotle (Coming-to-be and Passing-away (Gen/Corr) [c.335 BCE], 318a21)
	A reaction: Aristotle is the famous spokesman for this view, though it reappeared somewhat in early twentieth century discussions (e.g. Hilbert). I sympathise with this unfashionable view. Multiple infinites are good fun, but no one knows what they really are.