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A Child Thinking About Infinity (2001) [pdf]

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Re: A Child Thinking About Infinity (2001) [pdf]

#21

Some guy brags about his son..

Please don't post snarky dismissals to HN. They're corrosive of the higher-quality discussion we're hoping for here, especially because they generate replies that end up taking the thread in a less interesting direction.

Re: A Child Thinking About Infinity (2001) [pdf]

#22

Just a few days ago I had an interesting conversation with my 4 year old son that went something like this: "Daddy, what's the biggest number?" "There is no such thing as the biggest number; numbers keep getting bigger and bigger forever. This is a concept called infinity." "Which number is the biggest?" And so on; he's only 4, so I don't expect him to grasp the concept of infinity, but I was impressed that he's alre…

There's a great anecdote about this.

Son: the biggest number is 1081

Dad: what about 1082

Son: well, I was close

Re: A Child Thinking About Infinity (2001) [pdf]

#23

Just a few days ago I had an interesting conversation with my 4 year old son that went something like this: "Daddy, what's the biggest number?" "There is no such thing as the biggest number; numbers keep getting bigger and bigger forever. This is a concept called infinity." "Which number is the biggest?" And so on; he's only 4, so I don't expect him to grasp the concept of infinity, but I was impressed that he's alre…

I'm not sure if this is normal or expected, but my two-year-old can count to 20. I'm not trying to brag-- maybe just seeing if maybe I should start bragging? ;)

Re: A Child Thinking About Infinity (2001) [pdf]

#25
Sounds like a child was picking up on OPs intonation when he asked the questions. That's how children answer. They pick on body language about what the correct answer is and basically tell what the one who asks wants them to tell. This was made especially easy by the binary format of questions. Yes/no answers are very easy to guess based on the way you ask. And people tend to ask extra suggestively when talking with children.

Re: A Child Thinking About Infinity (2001) [pdf]

#26

I vaguely recall having a "night terror" centered around infinity when I was very young. I think I was trying to truly grasp how tiny and insignificant I am and how immensely huge everything else is and it just freaked me out.

I think I know what you mean. When I was a kid, I got a feeling of complete emptiness lasting maybe couple of seconds when I was thinking about what if there wouldn't be anything.

Re: A Child Thinking About Infinity (2001) [pdf]

#27

Just a few days ago I had an interesting conversation with my 4 year old son that went something like this: "Daddy, what's the biggest number?" "There is no such thing as the biggest number; numbers keep getting bigger and bigger forever. This is a concept called infinity." "Which number is the biggest?" And so on; he's only 4, so I don't expect him to grasp the concept of infinity, but I was impressed that he's alre…

I'm not sure if this is normal or expected, but my two-year-old can count to 20. I'm not trying to brag-- maybe just seeing if maybe I should start bragging? ;)

How did you find it out?

Re: A Child Thinking About Infinity (2001) [pdf]

#28

Just a few days ago I had an interesting conversation with my 4 year old son that went something like this: "Daddy, what's the biggest number?" "There is no such thing as the biggest number; numbers keep getting bigger and bigger forever. This is a concept called infinity." "Which number is the biggest?" And so on; he's only 4, so I don't expect him to grasp the concept of infinity, but I was impressed that he's alre…

Had a near exact conversation with my then 5 year old. He got really frustrated during the discussion as he wanted a straight answer but later understood what I meant.

Re: A Child Thinking About Infinity (2001) [pdf]

#29

I vaguely recall having a "night terror" centered around infinity when I was very young. I think I was trying to truly grasp how tiny and insignificant I am and how immensely huge everything else is and it just freaked me out.

I still fall into a rabbit hole every-time i imagine infinity. it started when i was 5 or so. brain goes into a loop and imagines the infinite. for me it was and is connected to space. you have to hit a wall at some point, but then there is something behind the wall.. there can never be something that isn't there. the limited donut universe theory framed the space imagination. but the donut has to be surrounded by something. here goes the infinite loop again.

Re: A Child Thinking About Infinity (2001) [pdf]

#30

Just a few days ago I had an interesting conversation with my 4 year old son that went something like this: "Daddy, what's the biggest number?" "There is no such thing as the biggest number; numbers keep getting bigger and bigger forever. This is a concept called infinity." "Which number is the biggest?" And so on; he's only 4, so I don't expect him to grasp the concept of infinity, but I was impressed that he's alre…

There's a great anecdote about this. Son: the biggest number is 1081 Dad: what about 1082 Son: well, I was close

Classic :)
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