The philosophy of size and placement

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the philosophical implications of size and placement in relation to existence, particularly in the context of the universe and quantum mechanics. Participants explore concepts of existence, the limitations of understanding, and the nature of reality, with a focus on how these ideas relate to physical and metaphysical frameworks.

Discussion Character

  • Philosophical exploration
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that certain concepts, like the universe or quantum strings, are too vast or small to have a defined place or meaning, indicating a philosophical dilemma about existence.
  • Others argue that existence is not strictly binary and can encompass states of being that are undefined or ambiguous until clarity is achieved.
  • A viewpoint is presented that challenges the notion of a physically limited universe and questions the coherence of a totality of facts, suggesting these ideas lack a logical foundation.
  • One participant emphasizes that the universe does not have to conform to human understanding, implying a need to reconsider how we approach these philosophical questions.
  • Another participant critiques the validity of dismissing ideas as nonsensical, suggesting that such a stance may not hold philosophical weight.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the nature of existence and the coherence of certain philosophical ideas. There is no consensus on the validity of the claims made, and the discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing perspectives.

Contextual Notes

Some arguments rely on subjective interpretations of existence and the limitations of human understanding, which may not be universally accepted. The discussion also touches on the appropriateness of the topic within the forum's guidelines.

John Jones
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Some things are bigger than big. They have no-where to sit.
The Universe has no-where to sit.

Some things are smaller than small. They have nowhere to sit.
Quantum Strings have no-where to sit.

Science tells us this.

We, thankfully, are in-between. We have somewhere to sit.

Science has proven this.

Some knowledge is too ... big. It has nowhere to sit -
I know that the Big Bang only started with an explosion because the explosion was caused by the Big Bang. That has nowhere to sit as well.
 
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Believe it or not, experiments prove that existence isn't so sharply defined as "something exists" and "something doesn't exist".

Also, existence doesn't seem to require a holder in which it would sit and it seems increasingly clear that it can sit and not sit at the same time. Until the symmetry breaks into a crisp, comprehensible and well defined reality. It's magic in the making.

If you really think about it, there is more common sense in it, than saying something as small as a proton expanded to the size of the universe and it all sits into non-existence(or some other similar obscure idea).
 
Maui said:
Believe it or not, experiments prove that existence isn't so sharply defined as "something exists" and "something doesn't exist".

Also, existence doesn't seem to require a holder in which it would sit and it seems increasingly clear that it can sit and not sit at the same time. Until the symmetry breaks into a crisp, comprehensible and well defined reality. It's magic in the making.

If you really think about it, there is more common sense in it, than saying something as small as a proton expanded to the size of the universe and it all sits into non-existence(or some other similar obscure idea).

"No-where to sit" means that the idea doesn't make sense.
The idea of the universe being a totality of facts, of whatever sort, doesn't make sense. The idea of a physically limited universe doesn't make sense. The idea of a hidden quantum world obfuscates on what sense is. These ideas have no-where to sit.
 
Last edited:
John Jones said:
"No-where to sit" means that the idea doesn't make sense.
The idea of the universe being a totality of facts, of whatever sort, doesn't make sense. The idea of a physically limited universe doesn't make sense. The idea of a hidden quantum world obfuscates on what sense is. These ideas have no-where to sit.

OK -I follow all that. So, where do we stand ?
 
Last edited:
The universe is not obliged to make sense to you.

That should factor into your considerations.
 
Also, "this does not make sense" is not really a valid philosophical stance.

This should be moved to GD.
 

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