Re: Existence as predicate

From: Tarald Andresen (tarald.a_at_online.no)
Date: 09/01/04 

Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2004 02:16:17 +0200

> > Nothingness/emptiness cannot exist (an "empty space" has no content - it
> > "consists" of nothingness - thus the concept 'empty space' must also be
> > empty, have no content). Thus there is nothing that can disconnect any
> > matter from other matter, and so everything is connected (to matter).
>
>
> No, your "thus" is a non sequitur.
> There certainly cannot be any such thing as nothingness (Iīm not
> saying there couldnīt be nothing!), but nothingness is not emptiness!
>
> "The so-called field equations of Einsteinīs general theory of
> relativity--which forms the basis of modern scientific
> cosmology--admit of solutions in which space is entirely devoid of
> matter and energy. So, mathematically, at least, it seems that the
> notion of perfectly 'empty' space is perfectly coherent."

Well, it seems obvious enough to me that 'spatiality' in itself is merely an
abstract concept; one can't speak of extension without there being
*something* (of substance/matter, etc.) extended. 'Space' is a geometrical
concept, along with lines, planes, etc., and emptiness then is nothingness
in a (3-dimensional) geometrical context.