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A PROOF OF THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF COMPLETING INFINITELY MANY TASKS
Author(s) -
GWIAZDA JEREMY
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
pacific philosophical quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.914
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 1468-0114
pISSN - 0279-0750
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-0114.2011.01412.x
Subject(s) - premise , impossibility , verdict , argument (complex analysis) , task (project management) , epistemology , key (lock) , philosophy , computer science , mathematical economics , law , mathematics , political science , economics , computer security , biochemistry , chemistry , management
In this article, I argue that it is impossible to complete infinitely many tasks in a finite time. A key premise in my argument is that the only way to get to 0 tasks remaining is from 1 task remaining, when tasks are done 1‐by‐1. I suggest that the only way to deny this premise is by begging the question, that is, by assuming that supertasks are possible. I go on to present one reason why this conclusion (that supertasks are impossible) is important, namely that it implies a new verdict on a decision puzzle propounded by Jeffrey Barrett and Frank Arntzenius.