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Theme Changer

 Topic: Why is there something rather than nothing?

 (Read 19151 times)
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  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #120 - February 07, 2015, 07:41 PM
    Quote from: Qtian on February 07, 2015, 07:34 PM
    I've already argued that "something from nothing" questions make no sense.
    You're asking how you get spatio-temporality from a state which lacks both of those properties, it's just a semantic game.

    Still fun.


    Well it does make formal sense, and is probably one of the most fundamental question in philosophy. Just my opinion that its also the most fundamentally stupid.  Tongue
    Quote from: yeezevee on February 11, 2016, 02:05 PM
    how fuck works without shit??


    Let's Play Chess!

    harakaat, friend, RIP
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #121 - February 07, 2015, 07:42 PM
    Thinking that the universe was fine tuned with us in mind is similar to pointing out a patch of grass in an otherwise barren wasteland.
    My mind runs, I can never catch it even if I get a head start.
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #122 - February 07, 2015, 07:43 PM
    Quote from: asbie on February 07, 2015, 07:41 PM
    Well it does make formal sense, and is probably one of the most fundamental question in philosophy. Just my opinion that its also the most fundamentally stupid.  Tongue


    It's not really a fundamental question in philosophy, it's only been spearheaded by Swinburne and co in terms of recent developments.
    Lots of philosophers argue that it's bollocks.
    My mind runs, I can never catch it even if I get a head start.
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #123 - February 07, 2015, 07:45 PM
    Quote from: Qtian on February 07, 2015, 07:37 PM
    I'd like to know "why", but I've come to realise that asking "why" in this context is the same as asking "qeyhrthyuhsuh?". It's a weird exercise in ontology to say the least.


    Quote from: osmanthus on February 07, 2015, 07:40 PM
    Yup. I figured out a long time ago that whatever the answer is, it's quite likely to seem completely illogical to us. IOW, anyone who is looking for an "intellectually satisfying" answer is basically valuing their own ego over the reality.


    I feel like you'd have to be a physicist to have any access to it as well, seeing as how meaningless a why uncoupled from a how really is. And physicists really haven't banged down the door with an answer to it yet, so for now I'm just satisfied with the uncertainty.  Smiley
    Quote from: yeezevee on February 11, 2016, 02:05 PM
    how fuck works without shit??


    Let's Play Chess!

    harakaat, friend, RIP
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #124 - February 07, 2015, 07:47 PM
    Yeah I'm just adding it to the infinitely long list of "Shit I do not currently know, and am highly unlikely to ever know". It's not a list I spend a great deal of time agonising over.
    Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West. bunny
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #125 - February 07, 2015, 07:48 PM
    Quote from: Qtian on February 07, 2015, 07:43 PM
    It's not really a fundamental question in philosophy, it's only been spearheaded by Swinburne in terms of recent developments.
    Lots of philosophers argue that it's bollocks.


    It speaks to the purpose of our existence and the probably more fundamental question of "what does it mean to be human"? It probably is generalized to the point of absurdity, though.
    Quote from: yeezevee on February 11, 2016, 02:05 PM
    how fuck works without shit??


    Let's Play Chess!

    harakaat, friend, RIP
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #126 - February 07, 2015, 07:49 PM
    .
    My mind runs, I can never catch it even if I get a head start.
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #127 - February 07, 2015, 07:51 PM
    Quote from: asbie on February 07, 2015, 07:48 PM
    It speaks to the purpose of our existence and the probably more fundamental question of "what does it mean to be human"?

    Bit of an extrapolation there, IMO.
    Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West. bunny
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #128 - February 07, 2015, 07:51 PM
    Quote from: asbie on February 07, 2015, 07:48 PM
    It speaks to the purpose of our existence and the probably more fundamental question of "what does it mean to be human"? It probably is generalized to the point of absurdity, though.


    Right, but "what does it mean to be human?" (valid question) is not the same as "why am I asking a question when the answer is metaphysically impossible?".

    I'd argue that the minimum criteria for a question to be "fundamental" is that it actually makes sense, not just in terms of words, but in terms of logic.

    Refer to my initial contention, "Why is there something rather than nothing?" ≡ "uhweyuegyufgyugbwy?"
    My mind runs, I can never catch it even if I get a head start.
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #129 - February 07, 2015, 07:51 PM
    .
    My mind runs, I can never catch it even if I get a head start.
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #130 - February 07, 2015, 07:51 PM
    Quote from: musivore on February 07, 2015, 01:52 PM
    The small loops, within the bigger spiral in your last two sentences there, has my head spinning. That's a head-fuck, and my eyes have followed the words round and round, searching for the enlightenment that I know lies within there; but unfortunately I think that enlightenment has proven just beyond my grasp. I'll keep returning and trying though.

    There's nothing to understand really.  
    Nothing is ever destroyed and nothing is ever built, because it has always been there just in different forms.
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #131 - February 07, 2015, 07:59 PM
    Quote from: asbie on February 07, 2015, 07:48 PM
    It speaks to the purpose of our existence and the probably more fundamental question of "what does it mean to be human"? It probably is generalized to the point of absurdity, though.

    Carrying on, take species. If you look at what's around you, you should be able see that species exist because they can. They don't actually have any "purpose". They just require an available niche and some way of exploiting it. Figuring out how the big bang worked is no more likely to tell you what it "means to be human" than it is to tell you why mosquitoes piss you off on summer evenings.
    Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West. bunny
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #132 - February 07, 2015, 07:59 PM
    Quote from: INcePtion on February 07, 2015, 07:51 PM
    There's nothing to understand really.  
    Nothing is ever destroyed and nothing is ever built, because it has always been there just in different forms.

    Sounds deep. Now prove it.
    Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West. bunny
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #133 - February 07, 2015, 08:00 PM
    Quote from: osmanthus on February 07, 2015, 07:51 PM
    Bit of an extrapolation there, IMO.


    Well I know we're all next level and shit here, but just as a reminder these have been connected traditionally in Abrahamic religion through the existence of the creator-god, and probably serve as a motivation for many who ask the questions today.
    Quote from: yeezevee on February 11, 2016, 02:05 PM
    how fuck works without shit??


    Let's Play Chess!

    harakaat, friend, RIP
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #134 - February 07, 2015, 08:02 PM
    Quote from: Qtian on February 07, 2015, 07:51 PM
    Right, but "what does it mean to be human?" (valid question) is not the same as "why am I asking a question when the answer is metaphysically impossible?".

    I'd argue that the minimum criteria for a question to be "fundamental" is that it actually makes sense, not just in terms of words, but in terms of logic.

    Refer to my initial contention, "Why is there something rather than nothing?" ≡ "uhweyuegyufgyugbwy?"


    See my answer to Os. Its historically been considered a logical question with a logical answer. Hence why I mentioned it.  Tongue
    Quote from: yeezevee on February 11, 2016, 02:05 PM
    how fuck works without shit??


    Let's Play Chess!

    harakaat, friend, RIP
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #135 - February 07, 2015, 08:02 PM
    Yebbut the creator god thingy is just kindergarten level shit for people who can't deal with uncertainty.
    Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West. bunny
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #136 - February 07, 2015, 08:02 PM
    And historically they thought burning witches was logical. Some still do.
    Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West. bunny
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #137 - February 07, 2015, 08:03 PM
    Quote from: asbie on February 07, 2015, 08:02 PM
    See my answer to Os. Its historically been considered a logical question with a logical answer. Hence why I mentioned it.  Tongue


    Meh, that's just a genetic fallacy.

    I'll stop now because I feel as if I'm being prickish, sorry  Kiss

    I just have no sympathy toward this question anymore. I'm here because I just am.

    Historical logic is hilarious. Some forms of Aristotelian logic were seen as valid back then, but they are laughably invalid now.
    My mind runs, I can never catch it even if I get a head start.
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #138 - February 07, 2015, 08:04 PM
    Quote from: osmanthus on February 07, 2015, 07:59 PM
    Carrying on, take species. If you look at what's around you, you should be able see that species exist because they can. They don't actually have any "purpose". They just require an available niche and some way of exploiting it. Figuring out how the big bang worked is no more likely to tell you what it "means to be human" than it is to tell you why mosquitoes piss you off on summer evenings.


    Well, if I do pursue that question vigorously enough I do find out that I have blood and hopefully what that entails.  grin12

    Edit: Misread the statement, which is connecting big bang with mosquitoes, not mosquitoes with what it means to be human. Sorry.
    Quote from: yeezevee on February 11, 2016, 02:05 PM
    how fuck works without shit??


    Let's Play Chess!

    harakaat, friend, RIP
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #139 - February 07, 2015, 08:05 PM
    But yeah, I pretty much agree with you guys.
    Quote from: yeezevee on February 11, 2016, 02:05 PM
    how fuck works without shit??


    Let's Play Chess!

    harakaat, friend, RIP
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #140 - February 07, 2015, 08:06 PM
    Quote from: osmanthus on February 07, 2015, 07:59 PM
    Sounds deep. Now prove it.

    If you are not able to prove that before something, there was nothing, then it is proved.  Tongue
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #141 - February 07, 2015, 08:07 PM
    -
    Quote from: yeezevee on February 11, 2016, 02:05 PM
    how fuck works without shit??


    Let's Play Chess!

    harakaat, friend, RIP
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #142 - February 07, 2015, 08:08 PM
    .
    My mind runs, I can never catch it even if I get a head start.
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #143 - February 07, 2015, 08:10 PM
    Quote from: asbie on February 07, 2015, 08:04 PM
    Well, if I do pursue that question vigorously enough I do find out that I have blood and hopefully what that entails.  grin12

    Yeah, if you're just talking about mosquitoes pissing you off, once you and mosquitoes already exist. What I was getting at is that figuring out how the BB works is highly unlikely to tell you anything about the possible existence of mosquitoes and humans. It may tell you that "lotsa stuffz" is likely to exist, but not much in the way of detail.
    Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West. bunny
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #144 - February 07, 2015, 08:11 PM
    Quote from: INcePtion on February 07, 2015, 08:06 PM
    If you are not able to prove that before something, there was nothing, then it is proved.  Tongue

    No, it aint. It's just another unsupported assertion. Tongue
    Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West. bunny
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #145 - February 07, 2015, 08:16 PM
    Quote from: osmanthus on February 07, 2015, 08:11 PM
    No, it aint. It's just another unsupported assertion. Tongue

     I cannot think of non-existence.
    Once I die, or you die, we will not be able to prove that nothing existed before something, because nothing =nothing.
    So , if nothing was there then we wouldn't be here.
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #146 - February 07, 2015, 08:16 PM
    whatever the answer to the question, god would be 'a thing', and the existence of things don't help explain why there are things.
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #147 - February 07, 2015, 08:16 PM
    Quote from: osmanthus on February 07, 2015, 08:10 PM
    Yeah, if you're just talking about mosquitoes pissing you off, once you and mosquitoes already exist. What I was getting at is that figuring out how the BB works is highly unlikely to tell you anything about the possible existence of mosquitoes and humans. It may tell you that "lotsa stuffz" is likely to exist, but not much in the way of detail.


    I find your lack of faith in physics disturbing. Everything is just applied physics, didn't you know?
    Quote from: yeezevee on February 11, 2016, 02:05 PM
    how fuck works without shit??


    Let's Play Chess!

    harakaat, friend, RIP
  • Re: Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #148 - February 07, 2015, 08:17 PM
    Quote from: INcePtion on February 07, 2015, 08:16 PM
    It's not, as far as I know we always existed, because I cannot think of non-existence.

    That's your problem. Doesn't say anything about stuff outside your head.
    Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West. bunny
  • Why is there something rather than nothing?
     Reply #149 - February 07, 2015, 08:18 PM
    .
    My mind runs, I can never catch it even if I get a head start.
  • Previous page 1 ... 3 4 56 Next page « Previous thread | Next thread »