What’s a solution to Zeno’s Paradox that proves math/physics is a viable tool for determining the laws of reality.

Question

I got into an argument with a friend who says logic and reason alone cannot determine the truth, and that we need emotions too. He says that Zeno’s Paradox is proof of the shortcomings of math/physics in determining the nature of reality. Is he right about this? I thought math/physics are the holy grails for understanding the nature of the universe.

In: Physics

Answer 1

Limits, infinitesimals and infinities generally solve Zeno’s Paradoxes.

The maths behind these wasn’t really sorted out until the late 19th century, which is why Zeno’s paradoxes seemed problematic for so long.

Part of the problem with the paradoxes is that they’re not necessarily stated in clearest terms, and rely on older ideas about space and time.

If anything Zeno’s Paradoxes are awkward because they’re *not* using sufficiently sophisticated mathematics and physics.