In Our Time
Zeno's Paradoxes
Sep 22, 2016
Delving into Zeno's mind-bending paradoxes challenging motion, Aristotle, Aquinas, and Russell tried to unravel them. From Achilles and the tortoise to the dichotomy paradox, experts explore the playful yet insightful concepts. Infinity complexities in mathematics, quantum Zeno effect, and Einstein's quantum thresholds add intriguing layers to understanding reality.
46:30
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Quick takeaways
- Zeno's paradoxes challenge the possibility of motion, as seen in Achilles and the tortoise race.
- Zeno's teachings influenced ancient philosophy by questioning common sense assumptions and exploring reality.
Deep dives
Zeno's Paradoxes: Challenging Common Sense Ideas
Zeno, an ancient Greek thinker, introduced paradoxes to question common sense ideas and provoke new theories, asserting that motion is not possible. One paradox explains Achilles, the fastest runner, would never catch a tortoise in a race. Philosophers like Aristotle and Bertrand Russell attempted to refute Zeno's ideas, but his questions on time and space remain relevant in quantum physics.
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