Current Events > How do you scientifically explain this paradox?

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Say you're running a 100m race. You consider the checkpoints you have to pass, starting with the middle at 50m. Then you mark the one between 50m and 100m, which would be the 75m line. And you go so forth and so on, until you quickly realize there are an infinite number of checkpoints you have to pass through. Theoretically, you should never be able to reach the finish line, but in reality, you obviously can.

Can someone smart explain this?

.....there isn't infinite space to cover

VideoboysaysCube posted...

Say you're running a 100m race. You consider the checkpoints you have to pass, starting with the middle at 50m. Then you mark the one between 50m and 100m, which would be the 75m line. And you go so forth and so on, until you quickly realize there are an infinite number of checkpoints you have to pass through. Theoretically, you should never be able to reach the finish line, but in reality, you obviously can.

Can someone smart explain this?

At some point the distance to the next checkpoint is infinitely small and thus zero so you cross it instantly. Adding up infinite number of infinitely small checkpoints gets you across the whole distance.

VideoboysaysCube posted...

but in reality, you obviously can

not if you're doing infinite paperwork

Fucking limits, how do they work

lol forget about this race

Do you realize nothing can ever go anywhere?

Because space is continuum, not discreet.

this is called Zeno's paradox, after the ancient Greek philosopher

from a modern perspective, nothing would be able to move 1/2 of a plank distance, just like a pixel on a screen can't be outside the grid.

so the problem can't actually exist in reality: it's impossible to build infinite checkpoints. At some point your checkpoints would be 3 plank lengths apart, then the last one fills in the middle. You physically cannot add anymore.

on paper, with math, obviously you can. but that's just it, a math problem: and calculus gives us the means to think about it. It's something like the equation to calculate the number "e"

limit x -> x / 2 / 2 / 2 / 2 / 2 ...

or

the limit of x as 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/8 + 1/16 ...

it's the equivalent of saying "o you can't go around a circle cause pi never ends" it's really just kinda dumb imo

calculus is the solution, you are just calculating, arbitrarily, some kind of natural ratio curve.

okay important point tho guys, as a math problem you DO have infinite space and the problem does still stand

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


hey these are the same field sometimes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L-system

Robot2600 posted...

okay important point tho guys, as a math problem you DO have infinite space and the problem does still stand

Nope. Infinite number of points, sure, but the distance (and thus the time needed to travel that distance) are both finite.

Did you just start watching Jujutsu Kaisen, or something?

How can there be an infinite amount of check points if the end is in sight?

The checkpoint is a planet and the race is a room outside.

Someone should stick Zeno's head in a toilet and tell him it's impossible that the water's actually touching him.

Rharyx211 posted...

Did you just start watching Jujutsu Kaisen, or something?

Never heard of it. Is it good?

Solution:

Stop making checkpoints. Problem solved.
After all, nobody is requiring you do so.

Simple. Eventually, you run out of material in the world to build checkpoints with, and just say fuck it and walk the remaining infinitesimally small distance to the finish line.

MarcoRubio posted...

.....there isn't infinite space to cover

There is if you create a singularity.