Was there ever a state of nothingness?

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In summary, the conversation discussed the concept of absolutely nothing and its relation to the Big Bang Theory. It was noted that the theory is agnostic about any creation event and that the term "singularity" is used as a placeholder for the unknown. The question of whether there was ever nothing, no time, and no space was also brought up but it was acknowledged that there is currently no way to know or even understand the meaning of such a state.
  • #1
thetexan
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Was there ever a time in the distant past when there was absolutely nothing? I'm wondering about the big bang. If it started from a singularity then the singularity must have existed previous to the bang. Or, if there was absolutely nothing then that means the singularity did not exist.

I am defining absolutely nothing as...absolutely, lack of anything...nothing...period.

tex
 
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  • #2
thetexan said:
Was there ever a time in the distant past when there was absolutely nothing? I'm wondering about the big bang. If it started from a singularity then the singularity must have existed previous to the bang. Or, if there was absolutely nothing then that means the singularity did not exist.

I am defining absolutely nothing as...absolutely, lack of anything...nothing...period.

tex
You misunderstand the Big Bang Theory and you misunderstand "singularity".

The Big Bang Theory (our currently accepted theory of cosmology) is totally agnostic about any creation event and what went on prior to the end of inflation (and inflation is not a 100% accepted theory). "Singularity" was not a place in time or space, it is a word that is just shorthand for "the place where the math model breaks down and we don't know WHAT is/was going on"
 
  • #3
thetexan said:
Was there ever a time in the distant past when there was absolutely nothing?

If there is absolutely nothing, how would you define "time"?

thetexan said:
I'm wondering about the big bang. If it started from a singularity then the singularity must have existed previous to the bang.

See phinds' response.
 
  • #4
Well, yes, now that you mention it, time also.

Was there ever nothing, no time and no space?

tex
 
  • #5
thetexan said:
Well, yes, now that you mention it, time also.

Was there ever nothing, no time and no space?

tex
Phinds already answered this... we don't know if there was ever such a state. The Big Bang Theory doesn't say what happened before the Big Bang, and there is currently no way to know.
 
  • #6
thetexan said:
Was there ever nothing, no time and no space?

This question has already been answered, to the extent it can be answered at all. It's not clear that there's even any meaning to the question to begin with.

Thread closed.
 

1. What is meant by "a state of nothingness"?

"A state of nothingness" refers to the concept of a complete absence of any form of matter, energy, or space in the universe. It is a hypothetical state that is often discussed in philosophical and scientific discussions about the origins of the universe.

2. Is it possible for there to have been a state of nothingness?

This is a highly debated question and there is no clear answer. Some scientists and philosophers argue that it is impossible for there to have been a state of absolute nothingness, as there must have always been some form of energy or matter present. Others argue that the universe could have emerged from a state of nothingness through a process known as "quantum fluctuation."

3. How do scientists study the concept of a state of nothingness?

Scientists study the concept of a state of nothingness through various theories and experiments in fields such as cosmology, quantum physics, and theoretical physics. They also use mathematical models and simulations to better understand the origins of the universe and the possibility of a state of nothingness.

4. What evidence is there for or against a state of nothingness?

There is currently no direct evidence for or against a state of nothingness. Some scientists point to the laws of thermodynamics, which state that energy cannot be created or destroyed, as evidence that a state of nothingness is impossible. Others argue that the theories of quantum mechanics suggest that a state of nothingness is possible through the concept of virtual particles.

5. How does the concept of a state of nothingness relate to the Big Bang theory?

The Big Bang theory, which is the widely accepted explanation for the origins of the universe, suggests that the universe began as a singularity – an infinitely small and dense point – and expanded from there. Some scientists argue that this singularity could be considered a state of nothingness, as it contained all the matter and energy that would eventually form the universe. However, others argue that the singularity itself is not nothingness, as it still contained some form of energy or matter.

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