Q&A: The Eternity of the World
The Eternity of the World
Question
Hello Rabbi,
A question came to me about those who hold that the world is eternal (whether in the older version or in the “updated” version, which maintains that matter has always existed, only that it expanded and changed, etc.):
Is there a logical problem with that? Because if the world has existed forever, then there were basically an infinite number of years before now, and it comes out that I am the end of the infinite, which doesn’t make sense.
(Seemingly this is like Zeno’s paradox, but I thought there is a difference, because when you define a domain there is an infinity within it, whereas here there is no domain since there is no beginning.)
I would be glad for an explanation of whether in your view I am right or mistaken.
Thank you very much
Answer
You are mistaken. This argument already appears in Duties of the Heart and in many other places, and here on the site as well I explained that this is a mathematical misunderstanding.
Search here on the site for “minus infinity.” There are many results.