The end of infinity?

The article discusses the emerging movement of ultra-finitism, a philosophical stance among mathematicians, philosophers, computer scientists, and physicists who argue that extremely large numbers and the concept of infinity undermine the foundations of science. Proponents, including figures like Doron Zeilberger and Justin Clarke-Doane, contend that these concepts are disconnected from human experience and advocate for a mathematical framework that prioritizes feasible numbers. The article highlights a recent conference at Columbia University that gathered researchers to explore these ideas, suggesting a growing interest in ultra-finitism as a serious alternative to traditional mathematical approaches. Additionally, it touches on the historical context of ultra-finitism, including the contributions of Alexander Esenin-Volpin, who challenged the acceptance of infinity in mathematics. [Extracted from the article]