Ted Hoffman

Does nothing exist? if so, where?
Is nothing a physical (as in Physics) or a philosophical thing?

Veil of Fire

I'd say vaccuums exist, and by definition a vaccuum is a space containing nothing... just drape a towel over it, and you won't even have photons.

But then again, Zero Point Physics is all about watching particles spontaneously forming in a vaccuum and then proceeding to annihilate each other.... so I dunno.

Automaton

A coherent sentence would be in the form of "Does X exist?" where X is a thing. Nothing, is obviously not a thing, it is the precise opposite. It is simply the statement of a lack of existence. One cannot ask if nonexistence exists, which is contradictory self-predication (whereas existence existing would be simple self-predication, but still meaningless.)
Things exist at spatially indexed positions, but nonexistence, being the lack of exemplification of any properties, cannot have such a property of being exemplified at some location, obviously.
The closest thing that physics deals with to nothing is a true vacuum which is most certainly not actual nothing. Again, actual nothing has no properties.
Yes.

Ted Hoffman

Automaton,
So things have always existed? If so, is the big bang a fallacy?

eh

If the big bang is correct, there was never a time when nothing existed. Then again, the BB may only be the beginning of the visible universe we live in. But in any case, you will not find 'nothing'.

atrahasis

This is not physics it is just
If nothing exists then it is not understadable by our feeble minds,nothing is accessible by our minds in their most elementary forms[we feel it].
To say that nothing does not exist is also meaningless because of one simple reason; before the big bang their was nothing, nothing became unstable and underwent a process that gave rise to what we see around today. What im trying to say is that our universe began, right!, before what was there? nothing. NOTHING was there, that means nothing existed until an a certain epoch when our universe began.

[ July 24, 2002: Message edited by: Black Moses ]

[ July 24, 2002: Message edited by: Black Moses ]</p>

Ted Hoffman

I think "visible universe" is a tautology. Secondly, if there was a universe before our universe, then even before the big bang, there was the universe. As such, time existed before our universe did.
I think you sould have used "galaxy", NOT universe. I believe that our universe is a closed system and is NOT contained or preceded by anything.

Black Moses
Nothing, can NOT be unstable. Unstability involves change from stasis. Nothing can NOT change because change requires an initial state. If something has a state, then it is something, NOT nothing. Nothing can NOT be observed, has no properties and is intangible.

OrangeNinja

As a secular humanist with appreciation for certain sentiments in zen buddhism, I find regular amusement in the explanation of electrons as fields of probability (orbitals).

Is probability the same as nothing? Probably!

I only regret that my quantum physics is both rusty and incomplete. I should definitely try and get around to re-investigating the full spectrum of fundamental particles, looking for equally amusing results.

Shadowy Man

No, certainly not. There is much more than the Galaxy. We can see millions of galaxies. I think the post on which you are commenting was correct in using the term "visible universe."

GeoTheo

Hey I'm from Mo.(I didn't want to spell it wrong and look like an idiot)
If nothing exists-show me.