Why is there something, and not nothing?

1. 82

   Slarty O'Brianposted 12 years ago

   I'm not interested in how the universe comes to be. I'm interested in why there is something as opposed to there being nothing.

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   1. 61

      Lisa HWposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Something went on that made something happen - and now there's something, instead of nothing.    In all seriousness, I think if someone is really interested in why there's something, instead of nothing, that person has to also be interested in how the universe was formed, and how life got started on Earth.  Otherwise, there's nothing on which to base one's knowledge/guesses about why there's something instead of nothing.

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   2. 0

      Infinite712posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Because there is no "no-thing". There are only "some-things". Matter (a.k.a 'something') is eternal.

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   3. 60

      kessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Nothing cannot ever be unless its amongst other things.
      Can you discuss that concept without including the universe?
      
      You can try but will fail.

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   4. 89

      Doc Snowposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      So you could ask this very question, and receive answers of varying degrees of seriousness.  (Among other things, of course. . .)
      
      Notice that your question is a 'teleological' one--that it, like all 'why' questions, implicitly invokes the notion of purpose.  But it is also 'ontological'--ontology being the study of being.  You seem to me to be asking what "What is the purpose of (all) being?"
      
      I think--and clearly, this opinion is not consistent with most traditional religion--that humans must answer this question *as it applies to themselves*--ie., "What is the purpose of my life, in my own eyes?"
      
      If this point of view can be extended to include all being--dubious, as it's not even accepted by most humans--then only the entire Universe can answer the question you have asked.  The "sub-Universe" of Hubbers is way too small. . .

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2. 58

   MelissaBarrettposted 12 years ago

   Because if it was all nothing, we wouldn't know where to stop mowing our grass.
   
   Seriously, don't care why there is something.
   
   If there was nothing, then we wouldn't be having questions like this.  (Just like the infinite numbers of potential nothings that don't exist everywhere not around us.)

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3. 0

   Emile Rposted 12 years ago

   Maybe, you're reading too much into this something.

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