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Discussing "Nothing"

Posted: November 24th, 2009, 10:40 pm
by EarlJam
Okay folks, let me first assure you that I have been drinking and/or smoking nothing.

I got to thinking about the concept of "nothing" today. In short, no matter how small the smallest particle, it is still something and had to have a day one.............right? Also, it had to have a space to exist in and that space is, was, ............something.

No matter your spiritual beliefs, the concept of nothing, if focused on intensely has to be baffling. Anyone have any insight on this? in particular, it totally blows my mind that the very first piece of matter ever to exist (even if microscopic), had to have a "day one." And it had to have a space in which to exist. Imagine that space. If I ask you to imagine "nothingness" what do you see? Most people see nothing but white or black empty space. But that is still baffling because that white or black space is.....................something!

How is it even possible that we are here?

I am a Christian, but when I think of such matters it just, well, drives me a bit bonkers. At some point in history, something had to come from nothing. How is that possible? Perhaps I need a Valium.

Feedback? Please discuss.

-Let there be EarlJam

Re: Discussing "Nothing"

Posted: November 24th, 2009, 10:50 pm
by devildeac
EarlJam wrote:Okay folks, let me first assure you that I have been drinking and/or smoking nothing.

I got to thinking about the concept of "nothing" today. In short, no matter how small the smallest particle, it is still something and had to have a day one.............right? Also, it had to have a space to exist in and that space is, was, ............something.

No matter your spiritual beliefs, the concept of nothing, if focused on intensely has to be baffling. Anyone have any insight on this? in particular, it totally blows my mind that the very first piece of matter ever to exist (even if microscopic), had to have a "day one." And it had to have a space in which to exist. Imagine that space. If I ask you to imagine "nothingness" what do you see? Most people see nothing but white or black empty space. But that is still baffling because that white or black space is.....................something!

How is it even possible that we are here?

I am a Christian, but when I think of such matters it just, well, drives me a bit bonkers. At some point in history, something had to come from nothing. How is that possible? Perhaps I need a Valium.

Feedback? Please discuss.

-Let there be EarlJam




.

Re: Discussing "Nothing"

Posted: November 24th, 2009, 10:51 pm
by devildeac
devildeac wrote:
EarlJam wrote:Okay folks, let me first assure you that I have been drinking and/or smoking nothing.

I got to thinking about the concept of "nothing" today. In short, no matter how small the smallest particle, it is still something and had to have a day one.............right? Also, it had to have a space to exist in and that space is, was, ............something.

No matter your spiritual beliefs, the concept of nothing, if focused on intensely has to be baffling. Anyone have any insight on this? in particular, it totally blows my mind that the very first piece of matter ever to exist (even if microscopic), had to have a "day one." And it had to have a space in which to exist. Imagine that space. If I ask you to imagine "nothingness" what do you see? Most people see nothing but white or black empty space. But that is still baffling because that white or black space is.....................something!

How is it even possible that we are here?

I am a Christian, but when I think of such matters it just, well, drives me a bit bonkers. At some point in history, something had to come from nothing. How is that possible? Perhaps I need a Valium.

Feedback? Please discuss.

-Let there be EarlJam




.

As close as I could get.

Re: Discussing "Nothing"

Posted: November 24th, 2009, 10:51 pm
by Lavabe
EarlJam wrote:How is it even possible that we are here?
It beats the alternative.

Re: Discussing "Nothing"

Posted: November 24th, 2009, 10:53 pm
by Very Duke Blue
OMG, too late this night to even ponder. i'm not sure I can even go there. My husband has a book you may wont to read. I'll find out the title and author and get this to you.

Re: Discussing "Nothing"

Posted: November 24th, 2009, 11:12 pm
by EarlJam
Very Duke Blue wrote:OMG, too late this night to even ponder. i'm not sure I can even go there. My husband has a book you may wont to read. I'll find out the title and author and get this to you.

That would be awesome, thanks! I would love to read a recommended book on this topic.

-EJ

Re: Discussing "Nothing"

Posted: November 25th, 2009, 7:41 am
by TillyGalore
EarlJam wrote:Okay folks, let me first assure you that I have been drinking and/or smoking nothing.

I got to thinking about the concept of "nothing" today. In short, no matter how small the smallest particle, it is still something and had to have a day one.............right? Also, it had to have a space to exist in and that space is, was, ............something.

No matter your spiritual beliefs, the concept of nothing, if focused on intensely has to be baffling. Anyone have any insight on this? in particular, it totally blows my mind that the very first piece of matter ever to exist (even if microscopic), had to have a "day one." And it had to have a space in which to exist. Imagine that space. If I ask you to imagine "nothingness" what do you see? Most people see nothing but white or black empty space. But that is still baffling because that white or black space is.....................something!

How is it even possible that we are here?

I am a Christian, but when I think of such matters it just, well, drives me a bit bonkers. At some point in history, something had to come from nothing. How is that possible? Perhaps I need a Valium.

Feedback? Please discuss.

-Let there be EarlJam
The very first particle, even microscopic, had to have a creator.

Re: Discussing "Nothing"

Posted: November 25th, 2009, 8:43 am
by Miles
The concept is baffling and tons of fun to read about and contemplate. If you really want to bend your mind, expand the thoughts to include time (spacetime). Time didn't exist before the universe was created either.

Re: Discussing "Nothing"

Posted: November 25th, 2009, 9:19 am
by CameronBornAndBred
devildeac wrote:
EarlJam wrote:Okay folks, let me first assure you that I have been drinking and/or smoking nothing.

I got to thinking about the concept of "nothing" today. In short, no matter how small the smallest particle, it is still something and had to have a day one.............right? Also, it had to have a space to exist in and that space is, was, ............something.

No matter your spiritual beliefs, the concept of nothing, if focused on intensely has to be baffling. Anyone have any insight on this? in particular, it totally blows my mind that the very first piece of matter ever to exist (even if microscopic), had to have a "day one." And it had to have a space in which to exist. Imagine that space. If I ask you to imagine "nothingness" what do you see? Most people see nothing but white or black empty space. But that is still baffling because that white or black space is.....................something!

How is it even possible that we are here?

I am a Christian, but when I think of such matters it just, well, drives me a bit bonkers. At some point in history, something had to come from nothing. How is that possible? Perhaps I need a Valium.

Feedback? Please discuss.

-Let there be EarlJam




.
=)) =)) =)) =))

Re: Discussing "Nothing"

Posted: November 25th, 2009, 9:20 am
by CameronBornAndBred
My head is not ready for quantum physics this morning yet.

Re: Discussing "Nothing"

Posted: November 25th, 2009, 9:35 am
by DukeUsul
Speaking of trying to get quantum mechanics and general relativity to work well together, I recently read this article in Scientific Americanabout a new concept of gravity and spacetime. Horava gravity theory has an interesting effect, in essence it would indicate that the Big Bang was in fact a Big Bounce, where all the content in the universe collapsed down to a very small size and then exploded out again. Other theories suggest the same thing. So there might not have been nothing before the Big Bang. There might have always been something. Whatever "something" is. I guess I'd define "nothing" as the absence of all mass-energy. But even the perfect vacuum of spacetime has energy - it's a quantum foam of virtual particles popping into and out of existence.

Maybe I don't believe in "nothing?" I need to think about that.

Re: Discussing "Nothing"

Posted: November 25th, 2009, 9:42 am
by Lavabe
DukeUsul wrote:Maybe I don't believe in "nothing?" I need to think about that.
I believe the children are our future... ;)

Re: Discussing "Nothing"

Posted: November 25th, 2009, 11:14 am
by Rolvix
SPOILER ALERT!!!


-----
God
-----

Re: Discussing "Nothing"

Posted: November 25th, 2009, 1:39 pm
by cl15876
Lavabe wrote:
EarlJam wrote:How is it even possible that we are here?
It beats the alternative.
agree! ;)

Re: Discussing "Nothing"

Posted: November 25th, 2009, 1:42 pm
by cl15876
CameronBornAndBred wrote:My head is not ready for quantum physics this morning yet.
Along with VDB and CB&B. .... I am NOT ready to try and embrace this thought so I can formulate a comment! I just accept the unknown for what it is... and move ON! ;)

Re: Discussing "Nothing"

Posted: November 25th, 2009, 3:18 pm
by EarlJam
Lavabe wrote:
DukeUsul wrote:Maybe I don't believe in "nothing?" I need to think about that.
I believe the children are our future... ;)
Excellent!

By the way, a friend of mine and I were talking about those lyrics a few years ago. Whitney sings, "I BELIEVE the children are our future..."

Isn't that more of a fact vs. a belief? I mean, if the children are not our future, who are? Robots?

Anyway. Last time I saw Whitney Houston, she had lost so much weight she was almost down to..............nothing.

-EARLJAM

Re: Discussing "Nothing"

Posted: November 25th, 2009, 8:11 pm
by Lavabe
EarlJam wrote:Last time I saw Whitney Houston, she had lost so much weight she was almost down to..............nothing.

-EARLJAM
She was on Dancing With the Stars last night, and it was BAD (compared to what her voice was like in the 80's).

Re: Discussing "Nothing"

Posted: November 25th, 2009, 8:16 pm
by YmoBeThere
She's under the 30 year rule...

Re: Discussing "Nothing"

Posted: November 25th, 2009, 8:58 pm
by Devil in the Blue Dress
When you say nothing, do you mean absence of matter? Is this what Einstein meant by the formula for relativity?

I'll leave that thought hanging there while I go bake those fine brownies for tomorrow's Thanksgiving gathering.

Re: Discussing "Nothing"

Posted: November 26th, 2009, 8:15 am
by OZZIE4DUKE
I think the Big Guy said it best, when he told Moses
I am that I am
and the first corollary
It is that it is