GPLindsey

Zero is nothing--the absence of value. But you can get to zero by adding positive and negative numbers that cancel each other out, such as 10 billion plus negative 10 billion.

Now, for every particle in the universe there is an anti-particle. In effect, there is a positive universe and a negative universe existing side by side. Therefore, to combine the two and describe the total universe conceptually as a mathematical formula, you would have to say that its value is zero, or nothing. Thus, to religious critics who beat up the nonreligious with the metaphysical question: "How can you have something from nothing?" The answer is simply that there really is NOTHING--the universe does not exist!

Chimp

During the initial stages of inflationary expansion, matter dominates over anti-matter in the universe, if my interpretation is correct.

Yes, the positive energy of matter is exacly cancelled out by the negative gravitational energy, so the total energy of the universe equals zero.

Chimp

SULPHUR

Reality is what each individual makes it. Therefore we have a series of individual experiences.Please prove that is not the case

Marduk

I read this somewhere to, before the big bang 0, after the big bang, energy - gravity = 0. don't remember where though.

Volker.Doormann

Maybe from the permeabilty and permittivity of this nothing, that can exist without any particels?

Volker

eh

Yeah, deny existence in the first place to explain those tough metaphysical questions. How intellectual.

Volker.Doormann

Permeabilty and permittivity are physial constants in nature of a (particle-)free space. If one can show, that this universal constants can be invalid through 'nonexistence' without hurting the physical laws of nature, I'm listen to him.

Volker

Majestyk

Wouldn't permittivity, being a constant of proportionality, require existence to be applied?

Volker.Doormann

Permittivity and permeability of the free space are absolute physical constants in the universe and they are.

If you mean, (?) that there are also gains in dielectric or magnetic materials of these properties, that is true, but in an universe without matter (energy only), there still exist permittivity and permeability of the (matter-)free space as absolute physical constants.

Volker

Shake

Could you be so good as to tell us where you got this hypothesis?

Where is all this anti-matter then? Is it like others have suggested, now in energy form?

My understanding had been that anti-particles are created under the most violent conditions (particle accelerators and the like), and generally do not exist freely. The only other instances where the might be free is in the case of virtual particle creation/annihilation in the vicinity of a black hole. This is an idea proposed by Hawking wherein a virtual particle/anti-particle pair is created very near the event horizon of a black hole. Normally, the pair would only exist a short time before annihilating each other and ceasing to exist. However, under these circumstances, one particle is sucked into the black hole and the other escapes! Anyone else care to clarify or expand on this idea?