[microsound] Piano Paradox

[erik schoster]

This is a lovely morning mind-bender, thanks for this.  I'd be interested in
hearing some math and infinite number savvy folks here weigh in - my right
brain tendencies are enjoying the swim through some weird hypotheticals
though.  :-)

On Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 3:24 AM, Adam Davis <technohead3d at googlemail.com>wrote:

> Written with the help of my brother Philip Davis, an astrophysicist, I
> wanted to share this with you all here at .microsound. Constructive feedback
> would be highly appreciated:
>
> Imagine a piano. The length of one string of this piano, in whatever unit
> or order of magnitude, is equal to the sum total of all the numbers that
> comprise the aleph-0 set. Similarly, the next string is, in whatever
> measurement, equal in length to the sum total of the figures that make the
> aleph-1 set. The string after that, aleph-2, and so on. When the piano is
> played, will the strings sound different pitches, if at all? How could the
> tension of the strings be kept if the ends could not be reached? Will there
> even be other ends for the keys, hammers and other mechanisms to situate? If
> the piano has an infinite amount of keys with an infinite amount of
> respective strings, are a highest starting note, aleph-0, even possible?
> Could the rhythms of the recursions and infinite pro/regressions highlighted
> by these questions be interpreted and played to on this piano!?
>
> ~
>
> Bonus paradox:
>
> If you limit yourself by being obsessed with a subject, a field, an
> interest no matter how interdisciplinary, does this still apply if that
> interest is infinity?
>
> Infinite obsessions; an obsession with infinity. The infinities within the
> coins, the mushrooms, the windmills...the pylons.
>
> ---------------
>
> Best wishes,
> Adam
>
>
>
>
>
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