Infinite dimensional Hilbert Space

In summary, the conversation is discussing a photo of Hilbert that is shown in a PDF and whether it represents an infinite dimensional Hilbert space or a manifold. There is confusion over the definition of infinite in this context and whether the photo is meant to be a joke or a reference to Hilbert's work. The conversation also touches on the difference between finite and infinite dimensional Hilbert spaces and the possibility of Banach manifolds.
  • #1
kent davidge
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Could someone tell me in what sense the following photo of Hilbert is a infinite dimensional Hilbert Space?
xNNpZry.png


It's shown in a pdf I'm reading.

Perhaps I'm putting the chariot in front of the horses as one would say here in our country, by considering infinite as infinite dimensional?
 

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  • #2
Are you sure this is meant literally? It may be a joke comment. A Hilbert space is a metric space. I don't see any mention , neither implicit nor explicit of any metric.
 
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  • #3
A Hilbert space can be finite-dimensional or infinite-dimensional. The objects in an infinite-dimensional Hilbert space are infinite sequences, and are considered to be infinite-dimensional vectors.

The caption under the picture isn't a Hilbert space, obviously -- I believe it is merely commenting on what is probably his most well-known work.
 
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  • #4
May be if you show pictures (a), (b), ..., (o) and the context of all this would be better.
 
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  • #5
Here is the pdf https://web.stanford.edu/~jchw/WOMPtalk-Manifolds.pdf
 
  • #6
Well, you can safely ignore that bit, these notes are not about Hilbert spaces. The picture is of course Hilbert himself, not a Hilbert space, perhaps it is supposed to be witty. If the space is infinite dimensional then it is not a manifold. I think that is the point to realize.
 
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  • #7
martinbn said:
If the space is infinite dimensional then it is not a manifold.
Why that?
 
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  • #8
Yes, but the notes from the link consider only manifolds that a locally ##\mathbb R^n##.
 
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  • #9
Yes, there are Banach manifolds too, but it font know enough about them.
 
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Related to Infinite dimensional Hilbert Space

1. What is an infinite dimensional Hilbert space?

An infinite dimensional Hilbert space is a mathematical concept used in functional analysis to describe an abstract vector space with an inner product. It is a generalization of finite dimensional vector spaces, where the number of dimensions is finite. In an infinite dimensional Hilbert space, the number of dimensions is infinite, making it a more complex and powerful mathematical tool.

2. How is an infinite dimensional Hilbert space different from a finite dimensional one?

The main difference between an infinite dimensional Hilbert space and a finite dimensional one is the number of dimensions. In a finite dimensional Hilbert space, the number of dimensions is finite and can be easily visualized, whereas in an infinite dimensional Hilbert space, the number of dimensions is infinite and cannot be visualized. Additionally, the properties and operations in an infinite dimensional Hilbert space are more complex and require different mathematical tools and techniques compared to a finite dimensional one.

3. What are some real-life applications of infinite dimensional Hilbert spaces?

Infinite dimensional Hilbert spaces have many applications in various fields of science, such as quantum mechanics, signal processing, and functional analysis. They are used to model physical systems with infinitely many degrees of freedom, such as vibrating strings or quantum mechanical systems. In engineering, they are used for data compression and signal filtering. They also have applications in computer science, such as machine learning algorithms and image processing.

4. What are some properties of an infinite dimensional Hilbert space?

An infinite dimensional Hilbert space has many properties, including being a complete metric space, meaning that every Cauchy sequence converges to a point in the space. It also has a basis, which is an infinite set of linearly independent vectors that can be used to represent any vector in the space. Additionally, an infinite dimensional Hilbert space has an inner product, which is a mathematical operation that measures the angle between two vectors and allows for the definition of length and distance in the space.

5. Can an infinite dimensional Hilbert space be visualized?

No, an infinite dimensional Hilbert space cannot be visualized in the traditional sense. This is because our brains are limited to comprehending three dimensions, and an infinite dimensional Hilbert space has an infinite number of dimensions. However, mathematical tools and techniques, such as basis vectors and inner products, can help us understand and work with the concepts of an infinite dimensional Hilbert space.

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