Presentation materials for talk at the Corvallis-Benton Public Library on Cantor's diagonal argument, November 1st, 2018
TITLE: "How Big Is Infinity?"
ABSTRACT: Did you know that infinity comes in different sizes? In a creative burst lasting six years, the nineteenth-century German mathematician Georg Cantor almost single-handedly created an entire field of mathematics devoted to understanding infinity. By revisiting the most basic techniques for comparing quantities, Cantor discovered how to measure infinity, and thereby changed mathematics forever. In this talk, we will discuss Cantor’s method of comparing infinities as well as the historical reception of his work. Along the way we will prove all sorts of crazy facts about infinite sets. All will be explained in detail, and you will be invited to discover parts yourself. Absolutely no math background required!
TITLE: "How Big Is Infinity?"
ABSTRACT: Did you know that infinity comes in different sizes? In a creative burst lasting six years, the nineteenth-century German mathematician Georg Cantor almost single-handedly created an entire field of mathematics devoted to understanding infinity. By revisiting the most basic techniques for comparing quantities, Cantor discovered how to measure infinity, and thereby changed mathematics forever. In this talk, we will discuss Cantor’s method of comparing infinities as well as the historical reception of his work. Along the way we will prove all sorts of crazy facts about infinite sets. All will be explained in detail, and you will be invited to discover parts yourself. Absolutely no math background required!
counting_infinity.pptx |