Spheres and Planes
A sphere may be defined as a shape with no flat sides.
If a sphere rests on a flat surface, therefore, shouldn't it be assumed that the object touches the surface at only a single point?
But that's not what happens in real life. Or, is there no such thing as a "perfect" sphere, rather they are all polyhedrons.
12 Replies
Also. Assuming premise #2 of the op, if one were to approach the sphere on plane and crawl underneath the sphere, what would they see? I think that being might see a never-ending curve, as in you could approach the meeting point infinitely close and never see the sphere actually touch the plane.
I was pretty high when I made this.
Zeno's Paradox - Limbo Edition
PairTheBoard
There are many shapes with no flat sides. A sphere is an object with all points equidistant from a central point.
If a sphere rests on a flat surface, therefore, shouldn't it be assumed that the object touches the surface at only a single point?[
Not an assumption, a consequence of the definitions of sphere and flat.
But that's not what happens in real life. Or, is there no such thing as a "perfect" sphere, rather they are all polyhedrons.
They're all polytopes, with perfection as a delusory limiting case.
The idea goes back to Plato.
Plato explains how we are always many steps away from the idea or Form. The idea of a perfect circle can have us defining, speaking, writing, and drawing about particular circles that are always steps away from the actual being. The perfect circle, partly represented by a curved line, and a precise definition, cannot be drawn. The idea of the perfect circle is discovered, not invented.
On a closely related note. I would love to hear an explanation of a problem that has bothered me for ~30 years.
If you have a glass sitting on a table, and you pick that glass up, it's very easy to avoid making any sound (other than the contact between the glass and the air). But, when you set that glass down, it's almost impossible to avoid making a sound when the glass hits the surface.
Woah I sat on this for a few minutes and it tripped me out
this is a query that is not intelligent nor interesting...
