Then know that it was not the concept of nothing that started this discussion betwixt us, and not the intent of any of my points.
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What is nothing?
- Thread starter freethinker44
- Start date
Kilgore Trout
Misanthropic Humanist
It's impossible to discuss "nothing" other than by using the concept, unless one wants to engage in discussion about the word itself.
Using in what sense? Are you suggesting that discussion about nothing is discussion about the concept of nothing? And yet, we agreed they are not the same thing.
nameless
The Creator
yes, you related the difference between nothing and true nothing to darkness and true darkness, you did not explained how they are related.
Scott C.
Just one guy
Is there anyone, Christian, other religion, atheist, or agnostic who believes that there ever was a time when there was nothing? it seems to me that all of us must be baffled by the fact that there has always existed something. It's hard to believe and yet the existence of something is self evident. Why is there something rather than nothing???
freethinker44
Well-Known Member
The way I see it, nothing is just a concept, there is actually no such thing as nothing. If nothing doesn't actually exist, then the question "why is there something rather than nothing?" has no context and is meaningless because if there is no alternative to something, there is no question as to why it exists.
MSizer
MSizer
Interesting point, I'd always assumed that "nothing" could be confined to a specific space and time, but perhaps since "something" does indeed exist, "nothing" does not exist. Or is it possible that "nothing" existed prior to the existence of "something", but since "something" now does exist, "nothing" disappeared?
Do you believe that what you said here is true? I believe you do --I think you posited it because it reflects reality as you know it. It communicates something real about the world: "no such thing" actually applicable to "nothing".
"No such thing" is nothing. That actual no such thing, whether you think of it as concept or not, expresses something real.
MSizer
MSizer
No Willemena, I disagree. I think you're etimylogically betwixt. I think only the "thing" part of his phrase points to something, while it changes the meaning to a lack of anything when you precede it with "no such".
Changes the meaning to what?
MSizer
MSizer
To a lack of any thing. (which is the definition I think of "nothing")
Kilgore Trout
Misanthropic Humanist
Basically, I'm still waiting to hear what the difference between nothing and true nothingness is.
Kilgore Trout
Misanthropic Humanist
Yes, what else would it be about?
Then "nothing" is the concept of nothing (which is not what you said earlier, unless you were kidding).
Kilgore Trout
Misanthropic Humanist
Christ - I'm not going to spend another day going in circles with you. You believe nothing is something - have fun.
YmirGF
Bodhisattva in Recovery
*Rushes to Willamena's aid*
(Not that the brilliant lady needs any help but... whatever)
Actually Patty IS correct. Any attempt to objectify "nothing", by default, makes it a thing --- therefore it is no longer nothing. It sort of adds an interesting twist to the old phrase, "Making something out of nothing", don't it?
Another twist on this is in the Buddhist concept of nothingness or the void. If such a non-thing exists, how would you know? If you could enter that void, stay awhile and then return then it wasn't void now, was it, as you were there to experience it. If that wasn't the case you would have no memory, so obviously it is meant metaphorically and not literally.
If you think I am on crack, Patty, just let me know,
Spot on, Paul. As an objective thing, nothing (like truth) is a piece of the pictures that compose, for each of us, the world.*Rushes to Willamena's aid*
(Not that the brilliant lady needs any help but... whatever)
Actually Patty IS correct. Any attempt to objectify "nothing", by default, makes it a thing --- therefore it is no longer nothing. It sort of adds an interesting twist to the old phrase, "Making something out of nothing", don't it?
Another twist on this is in the Buddhist concept of nothingness or the void. If such a non-thing exists, how would you know? If you could enter that void, stay awhile and then return then it wasn't void now, was it, as you were there to experience it. If that wasn't the case you would have no memory, so obviously it is meant metaphorically and not literally.
If you think I am on crack, Patty, just let me know,