From Plato through the likes of Gödel, Wigner, Barrow, Penrose, Tegmark and Vafa - mathematicians and physicists have noticed the mysteriousness of math and stood in awe of it though oftentimes unable to convince others who could not see what they were seeing. But Nicholas of Cusa’s understanding was much deeper than theirs because his was spiritual.
Nicholas of Cusa also saw what so many of us on this thread see and have commented on using different terms but the point is the same – that man cannot perceive God through sensory perception (“learned ignorance”.) He probably wouldn’t have used the metaphor I used earlier but the point is the same, i.e. that a maggot has a better chance of describing a human in terms sensible to a maggot than man has in describing God in terms sensible to a man.
Well, on this we agree, and that was my initial point to Dr. Eckleburg. I also enjoyed the way he discussed minimum and maximum within eternity, as it helped to understand the concept a bit. I do agree that mathematics help us to understand ever so slightly the concept that is beyond the physical.
I do not see the point in continuing to argue about "eternity" and "time without end". It is more than theological, since we KNOW that time must have had a beginning. It is logically impossible to consider an infinite regression of time and ever reach today. Thus, time began at some point. Eternity does not have a beginning because there must be an uncaused cause to begin the process. Nor can there be a "starting point" when all points are indistinct. There is no maximum or minimum, no beginning or end point.
Naturally, then, since time is a creation, then God is not subject to it AND God is transcendent and beyond time, unless He chooses to enter into time. As such, as I have tried to explain, eternity is thus timelessness, without BEGINNING or end. It is one moment of changeless NOW. ALL points in time are like geometric points in infinity. They are indistinct and unity. Thus, if we consider this and apply it to time, we can say that all points in time are the same, changeless and immediately accessible to One who is transcendent.
Thanks for your discussions on the subject. No doubt, neither of us has really touched even the tip of the iceberg on the subject. My point was that the human wisdom has reached its pinnacle when we realize that we are ignorant about God.
Regards