Is there a word for this concept?

[anonymous66]

Is there a word for something that has a beginning but no end? I was talking with my 13 year old son today - and in the midst of out conversation he suggested he was talking about something that wasn't infinite because it had a beginning - but also insisted this thing had no end. An example some might accept is the universe itself - assuming the universe started with the big bang, and assuming the universe will never end.

Can we call something with a beginning and no end "infinite" or is there another word that should be used?

[Pattern-chaser]

Does this help?

[anonymous66]

Does this help?

That doesn't really help. I have no problem saying that something with no beginning and no end "infinite" - but when my son added the condition that this thing does have a beginning, I hesitate to call it "infinite".

[Nick_A]

Is there a word for something that has a beginning but no end? I was talking with my 13 year old son today - and in the midst of out conversation he suggested he was talking about something that wasn't infinite because it had a beginning - but also insisted this thing had no end. An example some might accept is the universe itself - assuming the universe started with the big bang, and assuming the universe will never end.

Can we call something with a beginning and no end "infinite" or is there another word that should be used?

Let your son imagine the universe as a great cycle taking place within an infinite conscious source. Hinduism defines it as the Breath of Brahma. The great breath of Brahma creates and destroys worlds in an incessant cyclical rhythm. The outer breath creates the contents of consciousness (our universe) while the intake is the return to the source.

Our senses only enable us to experience a small part of the cycle the beginning of which we call the big bang. The great cycle within a conscious source outside the limits of time and space has no beginning and no end. It repeats as we do when we breath.

[Leontiskos]

Is there a word for something that has a beginning but no end? I was talking with my 13 year old son today - and in the midst of out conversation he suggested he was talking about something that wasn't infinite because it had a beginning - but also insisted this thing had no end. An example some might accept is the universe itself - assuming the universe started with the big bang, and assuming the universe will never end.

Can we call something with a beginning and no end "infinite" or is there another word that should be used?

There are different kinds of infinity, but that certainly counts as one of them. The set of natural numbers is an example of that sort of infinity, where there is a lower bound but no upper bound. I don't know of a word that specifically denotes this kind of infinity.

[JackDaydream]

It may be that cycle is what is known as eternal recurrence but although there are cycles, such as the seasons it may be problematic if it is seen too concretely and literally. There may some cycles which appear as repetition, like day and night and the seasons. However, it is hard to see the larger framework and to suggest that everything happens over and again may be too mechanistic. There are cycles, but it is hard to see the larger picture, and variance within cycle is important. Even though there is recurrence, it may be best to see the idea of cycles symbolically rather than take it too literally because the details of variance are hard to ascertain clearly.

[Nick_A]

It may be that cycle is what is known as eternal recurrence but although there are cycles, such as the seasons it may be problematic if it is seen too concretely and literally. There may some cycles which appear as repetition, like day and night and the seasons. However, it is hard to see the larger framework and to suggest that everything happens over and again may be too mechanistic. There are cycles, but it is hard to see the larger picture, and variance within cycle is important. Even though there is recurrence, it may be best to see the idea of cycles symbolically rather than take it too literally because the details of variance are hard to ascertain clearly.

Time in Buddhist cosmology is measured in kalpas. Originally, a kalpa was considered to be 4,320,000 years. Buddhist scholars expanded it with a metaphor: rub a one-mile cube of rock once every hundred years with a piece of silk, until the rock is worn away -- and a kalpa still hasn’t passed! During a kalpa, the world comes into being, exists, is destroyed, and a period of emptiness ensues. Then it all starts again.

A kalpa is a measure of one cycle of existence in which the great cycle of existence comes into being, exists, and is destroyed only to begin again .

[JackDaydream]

It may be that cycle is what is known as eternal recurrence but although there are cycles, such as the seasons it may be problematic if it is seen too concretely and literally. There may some cycles which appear as repetition, like day and night and the seasons. However, it is hard to see the larger framework and to suggest that everything happens over and again may be too mechanistic. There are cycles, but it is hard to see the larger picture, and variance within cycle is important. Even though there is recurrence, it may be best to see the idea of cycles symbolically rather than take it too literally because the details of variance are hard to ascertain clearly.

Time in Buddhist cosmology is measured in kalpas. Originally, a kalpa was considered to be 4,320,000 years. Buddhist scholars expanded it with a metaphor: rub a one-mile cube of rock once every hundred years with a piece of silk, until the rock is worn away -- and a kalpa still hasn’t passed! During a kalpa, the world comes into being, exists, is destroyed, and a period of emptiness ensues. Then it all starts again.

A kalpa is a measure of one cycle of existence in which the great cycle of existence comes into being, exists, and is destroyed only to begin again .

That is interesting and I am do consider Buddhism seriously. The basis for what I wrote was in connection with a discussion about the idea of eternal recurrence on a thread on immortality. The idea was spoken of by Nietzsche and some others, including Ouspensky. The problem is when the idea is taken to mean that the exact same living beings exist again and again repetitively. There are cycles of births and deaths but it can be interpreted too rigidly. The cycles of existence are most likely complex and the Hindus and Buddhists may have captured important ideas which can be interpreted too simplistically within the framework of Western approaches in philosophy.

[Gee]

Is there a word for something that has a beginning but no end? I was talking with my 13 year old son today - and in the midst of out conversation he suggested he was talking about something that wasn't infinite because it had a beginning - but also insisted this thing had no end. An example some might accept is the universe itself - assuming the universe started with the big bang, and assuming the universe will never end.

Can we call something with a beginning and no end "infinite" or is there another word that should be used?

It is sometimes difficult to help children understand concepts, so try this: Draw a circle and tell your son that he is the circle. It is easy to see that the interior of the circle is finite as it has a finite space that is the beginning, then explain that from the circle out is infinite as there can be an infinite number of directions that can be traced from the circle to anywhere and everywhere outside of the circle from down the block to across the country to outer space, but it always starts with the circle. In this case, the word to describe this would be perspective, which has a beginning and has unlimited possibilities.

Gee

[JackDaydream]

Is there a word for something that has a beginning but no end? I was talking with my 13 year old son today - and in the midst of out conversation he suggested he was talking about something that wasn't infinite because it had a beginning - but also insisted this thing had no end. An example some might accept is the universe itself - assuming the universe started with the big bang, and assuming the universe will never end.

Can we call something with a beginning and no end "infinite" or is there another word that should be used?

It is sometimes difficult to help children understand concepts, so try this: Draw a circle and tell your son that he is the circle. It is easy to see that the interior of the circle is finite as it has a finite space that is the beginning, then explain that from the circle out is infinite as there can be an infinite number of directions that can be traced from the circle to anywhere and everywhere outside of the circle from down the block to across the country to outer space, but it always starts with the circle. In this case, the word to describe this would be perspective, which has a beginning and has unlimited possibilities.

Gee

One question may be whether a circle has to have a beginning or not. If it is reproduced it does not appear to have a beginning, but the original circle does even though may appear invisible. It is hard to draw a circle perfectly without a compass but it begins with a dot. This may have some significance for understanding beginnings and ends, even though they may not be identified clearly.

[Nick_A]

It may be that cycle is what is known as eternal recurrence but although there are cycles, such as the seasons it may be problematic if it is seen too concretely and literally. There may some cycles which appear as repetition, like day and night and the seasons. However, it is hard to see the larger framework and to suggest that everything happens over and again may be too mechanistic. There are cycles, but it is hard to see the larger picture, and variance within cycle is important. Even though there is recurrence, it may be best to see the idea of cycles symbolically rather than take it too literally because the details of variance are hard to ascertain clearly.

Time in Buddhist cosmology is measured in kalpas. Originally, a kalpa was considered to be 4,320,000 years. Buddhist scholars expanded it with a metaphor: rub a one-mile cube of rock once every hundred years with a piece of silk, until the rock is worn away -- and a kalpa still hasn’t passed! During a kalpa, the world comes into being, exists, is destroyed, and a period of emptiness ensues. Then it all starts again.

A kalpa is a measure of one cycle of existence in which the great cycle of existence comes into being, exists, and is destroyed only to begin again .

That is interesting and I am do consider Buddhism seriously. The basis for what I wrote was in connection with a discussion about the idea of eternal recurrence on a thread on immortality. The idea was spoken of by Nietzsche and some others, including Ouspensky. The problem is when the idea is taken to mean that the exact same living beings exist again and again repetitively. There are cycles of births and deaths but it can be interpreted too rigidly. The cycles of existence are most likely complex and the Hindus and Buddhists may have captured important ideas which can be interpreted too simplistically within the framework of Western approaches in philosophy.

Quite true If you know how Ouspensky described the universe in six dimensions. What I am referring to is the sixth dimension: the expression of all possible eternities or what modern science calls multiverse. However consciousness offers the possibility for a person to change eternities or repair the past

[JackDaydream]

It may be that cycle is what is known as eternal recurrence but although there are cycles, such as the seasons it may be problematic if it is seen too concretely and literally. There may some cycles which appear as repetition, like day and night and the seasons. However, it is hard to see the larger framework and to suggest that everything happens over and again may be too mechanistic. There are cycles, but it is hard to see the larger picture, and variance within cycle is important. Even though there is recurrence, it may be best to see the idea of cycles symbolically rather than take it too literally because the details of variance are hard to ascertain clearly.

Time in Buddhist cosmology is measured in kalpas. Originally, a kalpa was considered to be 4,320,000 years. Buddhist scholars expanded it with a metaphor: rub a one-mile cube of rock once every hundred years with a piece of silk, until the rock is worn away -- and a kalpa still hasn’t passed! During a kalpa, the world comes into being, exists, is destroyed, and a period of emptiness ensues. Then it all starts again.

A kalpa is a measure of one cycle of existence in which the great cycle of existence comes into being, exists, and is destroyed only to begin again .

That is interesting and I am do consider Buddhism seriously. The basis for what I wrote was in connection with a discussion about the idea of eternal recurrence on a thread on immortality. The idea was spoken of by Nietzsche and some others, including Ouspensky. The problem is when the idea is taken to mean that the exact same living beings exist again and again repetitively. There are cycles of births and deaths but it can be interpreted too rigidly. The cycles of existence are most likely complex and the Hindus and Buddhists may have captured important ideas which can be interpreted too simplistically within the framework of Western approaches in philosophy.

Quite true If you know how Ouspensky described the universe in six dimensions. What I am referring to is the sixth dimension: the expression of all possible eternities or what modern science calls multiverse. However consciousness offers the possibility for a person to change eternities or repair the past

The idea of the multiverse is an interesting concept, even though it is hard to divide dimensions. I have been reading Huston Smith on dimensions and levels. I am interested in this and spoke of this in my own thread on what is God, and a couple of others. However, I am aware that this thread is asking about circles, cycles and the nature of endings and beginnings, so don't wish to derail the thread, unless the poster plans it to go in that direction.

[Consul]

Can we call something with a beginning and no end "infinite" or is there another word that should be used?

"everlasting" = "lasting for ever; infinite in future duration" (Oxford Dictionary of English)

[Pattern-chaser]

Does this help?

That doesn't really help. I have no problem saying that something with no beginning and no end "infinite" - but when my son added the condition that this thing does have a beginning, I hesitate to call it "infinite".

OK, you don't like "infinite", but that list offers quite a few different terms. Perhaps one of the more obvious choices is "endless"? After all, we are looking for quite an unusual term that may not exist, a term that means 'has a beginning, but continues forever without end'. Good luck in your search.

[anonymous66]

Is there a word for something that has a beginning but no end? I was talking with my 13 year old son today - and in the midst of out conversation he suggested he was talking about something that wasn't infinite because it had a beginning - but also insisted this thing had no end. An example some might accept is the universe itself - assuming the universe started with the big bang, and assuming the universe will never end.

Can we call something with a beginning and no end "infinite" or is there another word that should be used?

There are different kinds of infinity, but that certainly counts as one of them. The set of natural numbers is an example of that sort of infinity, where there is a lower bound but no upper bound. I don't know of a word that specifically denotes this kind of infinity.

"Different kinds of infinity" - that makes sense. I guess I ever really thought of a type of a type of infinity that does have a lower bond, but no upper bound. Thank you!