The Infinite Organism

Abstract

Existing biological systems are finitely based, in the sense that no appeal to infinite sets is required for their description. The subject of actual infinity has been a persistent topic in philosophy since the time of the Greeks, but little attention has been paid to the possibility of infinite organisms outside a theological context. The present paper seeks the terms of description of an infinite organism in the generalization of a model for human nature that was originally provided by the philosopher Immanuel Kant. Three examples of possible infinite organisms are derived from this model in conjunction with the mathematics of infinity. The probability of the existence of actual infinite organisms is estimated.