Infinitism

The Infinitism Manifesto

There are many chapters of The Infinitism Manifesto and there are many different aspects to Infinitism. However, all parts, including this manifesto, are completely secondary to a core belief in Infinity. Infinitism is a creation of man and is therefore flawed. Perfection can only be found in Infinity.

Alpha

In the beginning a quantum singularity commonly referred to as the "big bang" created what we call the universe. According to the big bang theory, the universe was created sometime between 10 billion and 20 billion years ago from a cosmic explosion that hurled matter and in all directions. After billions of years the earth developed the capability to support life. Then, after millions of years man evolved from a relatively intelligent hominid primate. This was a primate that used simple tools and had the ability to communicate on a limited scale. Man did not directly come from primordial slime, nor did man directly come from apes. Man is a direct offshoot of an animal that was a little less intelligent then we are.

Infinity

Infinity is divine in all its forms: potential and actual, mathematical and physical, theological and mundane.¹ It is simply logical for finite beings to ponder and worship the Infinite. Beyond this, the appreciation of Infinity is principal for enlightenment. One may ponder the Infinite by realizing examples of the Infinite in one's life. You may worship and respect the Infinite by your self-proclamation of Infinitism into your life. The reason why the earth has the rare and perfect combination of elements to sustain life is only possible because the universe is Infinite. This is why life is Infinitely special and why human life is that much more. Which is why Infinitism stands for the idealism, hope, and will that the human race will prosper forever. It is important to realize the subjectivity of human preciousness. This is because of the current theoretical galactic ratio of intelligent life within our galaxy (The Drake Equation for example). However, despite the amount of life (intelligent or not) in the universe, the pride of the human species shall never diminish. The human mind is Infinite and therefore is equal to the universe. Hence, our species is superior (or at least equal) to all other species in the universe. Finally, since this is true, the only measurements of worth can be derived subjectively, and our self-fulfilling bias is enough for rationalization.

You should relate to Infinity in the same way as believers in God relate to God. That is, with humbleness, astonishment, reverence, merriment and the search for deeper understanding.

Human life exists in the image of the Infinite more so than all other life because the human mind is Infinite. One example is when you close your eyes, look at darkness, or sleep, the blackness can be seen as an Infinite pattern; essentially a visual representation of nothingness, an Infinite property. Infinity can easily exist in ones life in the relatively unnoticed or the subconscious, so appreciation, awareness, or bringing Infinity into ones consciousness is realizing something greater then ones self which will open the mind and help you realize the purest form of consciousness and self. Infinity is real in the sense that it is a fact that numbers are Infinite. Granted numbers are not real but it is easy to see how mathematics translates into real things or practical applications. Yet, Infinity is beyond our grasp, similar to God, making Infinity the perfect object of worship for the spiritual yet logical, reasonable, and scientific individual.

Simple organisms started with a simple finite body. These simple organisms evolved into simple animals. Then more complex animals that eventually evolved to have Infinite minds. An animals mind is primitive but there is no limit to the amount or combinations of emotions an animal can feel. When anatomically correct Homo sapiens ultimately appeared, they possessed a finite body, an Infinite mind, but also had a spirit, which (in this example) is derived from the ability to reason. They were the first Infinite minds on this planet, with no limit to their imaginations.

The human race existing for an Infinite amount of time is the ultimate aspiration and purpose. If our species could survive or live forever, people could ask why about an Infinite amount of things, name an Infinite amount of things, learn an Infinite amount of things, create Infinite amount of culture, ideas, etc. This potential is possible because we have the capacity to build on the achievements of our predecessors.

The potentially Infinite is internally perceived and thus since internal (human) perception itself is potentially Infinite, it is safe to proclaim the potentially Infinite as actually Infinite. For example, if every generation born counted one number higher you could "count to Infinity" because if the generations were to ever abruptly stop (along with the human race per se) there would not be the perception that the potentially Infinite never met its full potential. In this rite Infinity is essentially real. This reality of Infinity is yet another reason why Infinity should be the object of human religion. Not only does this allow the potentially Infinite to be perceived as actually Infinite, but it can also be applied to Infinitism. If there is no one to perceive the hope that the human race will survive forever, no one could perceive that the human race didn't and so fourth.

To counteract some of the paradoxes of the Infinite you must accept that no finite system can define truth. However, mathematics (specifically number based) is Infinite and therefore can define truth. Infinitism connects mathematics to humanity and therefore truth to people. Consequently, Infinitism ideology is simply the evolution of thought about Infinity and the debate or opinions on these views or contradictions, which in and of them self will comprise and fulfill your individual necessity for this aspect of religious sanctity. Therefore, Infinitism philosophies are designed to bring good and truth to self, others, and all who are open to listening.

Infinity In Life

Bringing goals into the absolute is essential in your life. Seek Infinite knowledge. Show your spouse Infinite love. Show your family Infinite forgiveness. Find Infinite joy. Embrace your Infinite imagination. Explore unlimited possibilities.

Life mimics the Infinite through balance to exist and thrive such as water cycles, reproduction, element cycles, etc. These balances are potentially Infinite cycles needed to sustain finite life. Further, we are carbon-based life forms and carbon can potentially bond to hydrogen Infinitely.

Many things are Infinite or Infinity may be applied to different things and different ways in life. For example, you could apply Infinity to the idea of music. Music that has a rhythmic beat could potentially play consistently forever. It shows a glimpse into the sound of the potentially Infinite. Rhythmic music mimics the Infinite in this way. Non-Rhythmic music contrasts the Infinite mimicking chaos but holds equal merit, of course. Non-Rhythmic music would include things like a guitar or drum solo. *Some, if not most, music contains both rhythmic and non-rhythmic elements but it is the most reasonable duality to make this point. Art can be analyzed in the same way. Imagine a first type of art; random or specific colors displayed creatively, mimicking the colors found in nature a beautiful portrait that mimics human life. This is in contrast to Infinity. This type of art essentially mimics the finite. Its counterpart is art that coincides with the Infinite in the form of patterns. You could visually take a "limb" of a pattern and expand it out forever. Also, you could take that pattern and tile or cascade it out Infinitely. This type of art can give a visual glimpse of the potentially Infinite. In the music example, generally Infinite music is the choice of the people whereas finite art is the more popular type of art. Finding the Infinite and resulting finite balances is subjective. When an element of humanity relates to finitude, it is just as virtuous to recognize Infinity as its counterpart. Finding Infinity is different for everyone but the key is to embrace it for all aspects of humanities. To understand this further we can look to the ancient philosopher Sun-Tzu who said, (loose translation) "There are no more than five musical notes, yet the variations in the five notes cannot all be heard. There are no more than five basic colors, yet the variations of the five colors cannot all be seen. There are no more than five basic flavors, yet the variation in the five flavors cannot all be tasted."

A day will never come where all music has already been composed or all paintings have been painted. A day will never come where there is no new food to be tasted or new literature to read. (Literature: We take a finite system called the alphabet. We use the alphabet to create an Infinite about of words, i.e. a word with 300 letters. We use these Infinite words to create an Infinite amount of literature.) Are these vehicles of culture our links to humanity's spirit? Is a painting simply chemical pigments arranged on a surface? Of course not, they are windows to the artist's spirit.

Consequently, since culture is Infinite, the human spirit is Infinite. Since the human spirit is Infinite, religion should be based on Infinity. Since religion should be based on Infinity, your religion should be Infinitism.

The Universe

The universe is Infinite. In Stephen Hawking's book, A Brief History of Time, he said that "...if it [the universe] was expanding at more than a certain critical rate, gravity would never be strong enough to stop it, and the universe would continue to expand forever." Therefore, we are, relative to the universe, somewhere along the scale of the Infinitely small. This being true, you should refine aspects of yourself to make yourself as "small", or refined as possible. Aspiring to make ones self as "large" as the universe is entirely futile. The Infinite universe is the great frontier; it is the endless entity of boundless mystery. Gravity causes galaxies to form a spiral shape, an Infinite shape. To accept that the universe is Infinite is to realize your place in the greatest perspective of actuality. Acknowledging the contrast of the Infinite universe and your finite life is fundamental in portraying your perspective of reality. This is also known as "The Infinite Perspective." This perspective is the justification of refinement. Since your mind is Infinite (specifically boundless), and the universe is Infinitely expanding outward, you are justified in refining yourself inward because that is our apparent place in the temperament of the universe. Since the universe is undefined and forever expanding outward, it is reasonable to find purpose in refining yourself inward. (Continued in "The Self" section)

In Rudy Ruckers book Infinity and the Mind, he says, "Try to catch the universe in a finite net of axioms and the universe will fight back. Reality is, on the deepest level, essentially Infinite."¹

The universe exists in Infinite chaos and relativity. The universe, in essence, balances itself. The universe exists in both directions, both Infinitely large and Infinitesimally small, without either an absolute or an absolute indivisibility. Life reflects chaos by variety, in all forms. Prominent examples of chaos in life are things with an Infinite amount of variables. Life reflects relativity by balance. The most prominent example of this is biology and ecology.

Good & Evil

Every religion has its own grasp of good and evil. The concepts of good and evil can be viewed as right and wrong. The truth of what is right and wrong can only be seen in Infinity. For example, say that we assign every situation a number. Both the numbers and the situations span to Infinity. The situation where 'good' or 'right' exist inevitably in one of the situations since all situations exist in an Infinite set. In other words, let's suppose that we have an Infinite set of random numbers. Let's also suppose that the number 1234567891011121314151617181920212223 (continued to one million digits) is the number that represents truth. If we had a million computers searching for a million years they may never find it, yet that number must exist in an Infinite set. Another way to look at it is to suppose that there are an Infinite amount of parallel universes that contain an Earth. On one of the Earths pure good and/or no evil exists.

The only way towards good is knowing there cannot be good without truth and truth exists within the Infinite. Therefore, spiritual righteousness is attained in the practice of Infinitism.

We, as humans, may only create a finite (therefore flawed) system to define evil. We strive for good within that finite system by politics and law. Whereas politics is the measurement of our morality and law is the principle of that morality. Thus, earthly righteousness is derived by the attributes of citizenship.

Faith

A portion of religious fulfillment comes from faith. Therefore your faith must lie within science and humanity.

You must have faith that the positive sacrifices of self-contemplation and the physical self-sacrifices you make to society are justified by your faith in the capacities of human value and achievements. The Infinitists actions are examples for others to learn from and follow. Faith in its alternative forms comes by words such as optimism, hope, or pride. You must have faith that the human races problem solving ability will surpass its problems. (This type of faith is referred to as technocratic) Faith that people can be truly good despite what you may read in the paper or see on TV. Faith that if you look hard enough, a human can be found in every person.

Science is the purist form of faith known to mankind. This is because of the philosophy that there is really no such thing as facts, nothing can really be proven, you can not definitively prove that you are not a figment of my imagination, etc. Therefore, science requires faith. Most sciences produce extremely convincing evidence that offer us knowledge about our existence. Yet, many conclusions require faith. The big bang theory, the theory of evolution, quantum theory, etc., are all example of things that require faith. It is not necessary to believe in these theories or facts, it is only necessary to have faith in the ideals of a scientific system of reasoning.

The Self

There are three rudiments of the individual that structure yourself: your mind or broad-spectrum intelligence, your physical body, and self-apparition or spirit. It is important to balance these three rudiments.

Your spirit will live on in your descendants, your mind will live on in the achievements of man, and your body will live genetically in your children, and your children's children.

You refine your mind by study, contemplation, and logic. Or essentially asking why. Why is how you ask an Infinite question. To any answer, why can always be asked to extend understanding. We are finite beings that have the ability to ask why Infinitely. Therefore, asking a question that has no final answer is the sacrifice of the mind and allows for a deeper understanding of all things. This is how the separation of humans from all other life connects to Infinity. You refine your body by labor and sacrifices to society. Also, exercise to actually define your muscles, and movement, which is an essence of life. The refining of the body is important to balance the mind and spirit. You refine your spirit by the creation of culture and creativity. (i.e. invention, art, music). You also refine your spirit by exploring your connection to the balances, cycles, and equilibrium of nature or environment. Finally you may refine your spirit by the connection to the spirits of your ancestors. Their spirits empower yours. It is this practice of "calling" the spirits of your ancestors that enables the spirit of the Infinitist to become Infinite in and of itself. Further, you refine your spirit by expanding your intuition, instinct, and perception. Taking in knowledge that is not learned but communicated. Lastly by meditation, the meditation that relates directly with Infinity is the meditation practices of mysticism, as described in a book by Rudolf Otto entitled Mysticism East and West. There are two ways that balance meditation, The Inward Way and the Way of Unity.

The Inward Way involves trying to stop thinking thoughts or stop feeling emotions. One strives toward the void of all things. One tries to stop thinking, to stop thinking about thinking, to stop thinking about thinking about stopping and so on ad infinitum. The Way of Unity involves trying to include more and more of the universe into ones field of consciousness. One strives for a sympathetic union with everything.²

Planetism

Infinitist actively practice planetism, or indulge a global perspective. Planetism is the devotion to the interests or culture of our planet. The belief that Earth will benefit from acting collectively, emphasizing planetary rather than national goals. All people are of one blood and one species. There is no gene for race. All people must come together in the name of unity, for the sake of progress. Unified we preserve each other to endure hardships and overcome them collectively as one people, and one planet. We are the race of human and the nationality of earthlings. We are the Infinytes.

Omega (Guaranteed Apocalypse)

The term apocalypse is derived from the Greek word apokaluptein, which means, "to uncover or disclose." The destiny of humanity is very clear. Our Sun, Sol, will eventually die, but before it does it will consume the Earth. There is a zero probability that any life on Earth will survive. If humans survive asteroids, weapons of mass destruction, climate change, and all other potential disasters on Earth, our Sun will still eventually engulf or burn our planet. The mission of humanity is to therefore find, travel to, and inhabit new home planets before this happens. We, as Infinitist, hope that the human race will prosper and survive Infinitely beyond Earth, and beyond our galaxy, forever.

1) Rucker, Rudy: Infinity and the Mind. New Jersey: Princeton University Press 1995
2) Otto, Rudolf: Mysticism East and West. New York: Macmillan 1960
3) Big Bang Picture: The Kingfisher Young People's Book of Space by Martin Redfern
4) Hominidae - Species overview: Archaeologyinfo.com