Why is there Something rather than Nothing?
This is an age old question which has been bothering some great minds. For us laymen, the answer might seem pretty obvious. There is Universe, world, life and us. Atleast for us to exist, there has to be something, say a body or a soul, a habitat or a shore. So, obviously there has to be something rather than nothing. But is it really so easy an answer? Let’s explore.
This is wot a few scientists have to say:
1. ‘Nothing’ cannot exist by the followint reasoning. To speak of a thing, one has to speak of a thing that exists. Since we can speak of a thing in the past, it must still exist now.
2. There are in infinite number of ways for there to be ‘something’. And there is only one way for there to be ‘nothing’. Therefore, all things being equal-and the theist has given us no reason to believe this is not he case – ‘Something’ is infinitely more likely than ‘nothing’.
3. The ones who say ‘Nothing’ exists, take the hypothesis that ‘Space’ is a void(nothing). But Space is not ‘nothing’, it is a receptacle in which objects of matter can be placed. The void is difference from space and so is to be removed from consideration.
4. No experiment could support the hypothesis ‘There is nothing’.
5. The Big Bang shows that the Universe had a beginning. Therefore it must have had a creator; that creator would have to have been supernatural, and ‘that sounds like God.’ So, there is atleast the presence of a Celestial Being.
6. ‘Nothing’ is just an abstract human construction with no true meaning.
While the Contrary few say this:
1. ‘Nothing’ exists. A demon is an opposite of God. Since God is ‘Everything’ in the Pantheist view of world, and so, a Demon has to be ‘Nothing’.
2. There is atleast one empty world
3. Something can indeed come from “Nothing”(that is, the absence of matter). The origin of universe is of course a problem that physicists are still working on.
4. ‘Nothing’ is not only a possible state of things but that it is the default state of things
5. ‘There might be nothing’ is false when read epistemically. For we know that something actually exists and knowledge of actuality preculdes epistemic possibility. But when read metaphysically, ‘There might be nothing’ seems true. So ‘Why is there something rather than nothing?’ is, so far, a live question.
6. If we take the presumption that ‘Human’ exists, then What is a Human in nature? A ‘Nothing’ in comparison with the ‘Infinite’. Proving Human is still Nothing. And so applies to everything that might exist.
7. Freedom is rooted in Nothingness. We derive our concept of logical negation from this experience of nothing. This suggests a previleged perspective for human beings. We differ from animals with respect to Nothing.
As this ode goes,
What does a man love more than life?
Hate more than death or mortal strife?
That which contented men desire,
The poor have, the rich require,
The miser spends, the spendthrift saves,
And all men carry to their graves?
The answer, ‘Nothing’, can only be seen through a kaleidoscope of equivocations.
Some of the attempts to answer ‘Why is there something rather than nothing?’ equivocate or lapse into meaninglessness. Those who ask the question ‘Why is there something rather than nothing?’ commonly get confused. But the question itself appears to survive tests for being merely a verbal confusion.
Filed under: Nothing-ness | 4 Comments