Is energy considered to be physical?

[Robert P]

If someone were to talk about "a non-physical energy source" would you consider that a contradiction in terms?

 

[Ibix]

Probably.

Context is important, though. If you can give a reference for what you are talking about without violating PF rules (see the Acceptable Sources section here) on acceptable sources then we can look. If you can't find such a reference then you can safely conclude that it's rubbish.

 

[Robert P]

Probably.

Context is important, though. If you can give a reference for what you are talking about without violating PF rules (see the Acceptable Sources section here) on acceptable sources then we can look. If you can't find such a reference then you can safely conclude that it's rubbish.

It involves a discussion related to the creation of the universe - "where'd all the 'stuff' come from" - elsewhere, where someone references a "non-physical energy source". My initial reaction is that it's a contradiction in terms but I wanted to make sure I was correct related to terminology and principles.

 

[Ibix]

You'd be better asking in the cosmology forum if you want to know about real theories related to the early universe, but I don't think we have an answer to where everything comes from.

I would expect that anybody talking about a "non-physical energy source" in that context is peddling non-scientific rubbish, yes. So ask for references discussing it. If they have a solid scientific source for the claim then we can discuss it here (or cosmology, better). If they have a serious philosophical argument then you'll have to make your own judgement (philosophy is off topic here). If they have neither, see my previous post.

 

[sophiecentaur]

It involves a discussion related to the creation of the universe - "where'd all the 'stuff' come from" - elsewhere, where someone references a "non-physical energy source". My initial reaction is that it's a contradiction in terms but I wanted to make sure I was correct related to terminology and principles.

Any such discussion is really pretty fruitless because the 'answer' cannot be in terms of the Science we use today. That term " non-physical energy source" is actually implying that - i.e. where all the stuff came from cannot be described in 'Physical' terms alone.

It's down to Mathematics to try to show that our world could be there because of some logical reasoning about possible dimensions that a Universe can have. This link makes good reading and discusses something about how things are what they are. It's an attempt, as I see it, to use present ideas to take us back a step further in a possible history of things.
Not a direct answer to the OP, of course but it is perhaps a way in that doesn't need to answer that awkward question.