Does mathematics imply there are things comprehensible beyond the material?

[FreethinkingSceptic]

As an example. We can conceive of a googol (10 to the 100th power), which is larger than the number of atoms in the entire known universe.

The fact that we can conceive of things greater than what exist within the material universe is intriguing to me.

[Mr.Obvious]

I want to understand what you are asking, truly. But why is it intriguing we can conceive things that are not real?  Even things greater than the universe.
I mean, some people are proponents of multiverse theory. Some even support different kinds, i think. They may all be wrong, or some of them might be.
And any relgion that opts for a creator god has some members claiming said god is greater than the universe. And they can't all be right.

So i guess i just don't know what is so intruiging about a number that is greater than the amount of atoms in the universe. Be it a google or infinity itself.

Please, do elaborate.

[Blackleaf]

Just because something can be imagined doesn't mean it exists. Does the existence of high fantasy suggest that elves and magic exist?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Dude is very, very alone.

Obviously with reason.

[FreethinkingSceptic]

Just because something can be imagined doesn't mean it exists. Does the existence of high fantasy suggest that elves and magic exist?

So are you saying the number googol doesn't exist?

[FreethinkingSceptic]

Just because something can be imagined doesn't mean it exists. Does the existence of high fantasy suggest that elves and magic exist?

Basically, it's possible that those things could exist in alternate universes with completely different laws of physics. And since our understanding of physics is constantly changing, things considered fantasy at one point (e.x. time travel) may eventually be considered possible.

I'll go with the quote that any significantly advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Ancient people likely would have viewed computers as magic, sorcery, and so forth simply because they wouldn't have been able to explain how they work within their primitive understanding of the world.

[Blackleaf]

So are you saying the number googol doesn't exist?

Only in concept; on paper.

Also, we don't actually know how many atoms are in the universe. We can only estimate about the observable universe. Beyond a certain distance, light cannot reach us, and never will. This means that the true size of the universe is unknown. It could be infinite, for all we know.

Until recently, I would have thought that this wasn't the case. If we know how long ago the Big Bang was, and we know the rate of expansion of space, then surely we could do the math and figure out how big the universe is. But nope. Apparently, it's a misconception that all of the universe started at a single point. The universe started with infinite density, and there's no way of knowing how much energy there was at the beginning. Or, at least, that's how I currently understand it, based on how it's been explained to me by people who know more about these things.

[Mr.Obvious]

So are you saying the number googol doesn't exist?

To be honest, one could argue numbers don't truly exist.
All numbers from minus infinity to infinity

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Things exist. Numbers are used to tell us how many of them there are. No need to expand that beyond their simple mission.