Is "Why is there something rather than nothing?" a legitimate question?

[JimL]

Of course that is what he says Jim, he is not inarticulate.

Obviously he is seer, otherwise you would better understand him.

Jim there is no place that does not include space, there is no evidence of such a place.

And you know this, how? Answer this then. Can physical things exist if there is no "space" for them to exist within?

[shunyadragon]

Duh. The quantum realm... Have you not seen Ant-Man?

No, but it clearly at present re[resents the limits of your knowledge in physics and cosmology.

[element771]

No, but it clearly at present re[resents the limits of your knowledge in physics and cosmology.

1. I have forgotten more about physics and cosmology than you will ever know.

2. Have you ever published any peer-reviewed research?

3. Why can't you spell or construct proper sentences?

4. You still never explained how you "do science" for a living.

I have an idea. Pick a paper from the primary literature and we can critically evaluate it, discuss it, and quiz each other on it...that will put this issue to rest. Put up or shut up.

[Tassman]

Again Jim, go to 5min, what is doing the tunnelling if there is no prior quantum material as he says? And he also clearly said that the ONLY PRIOR thing necessary are the laws of physics.

Again, that is exactly what he is saying here:



The nothing ONLY includes the laws of physics... And you keep speaking of this mysterious something where energy exists that is not in space. Where is that place? How do we find it?

Vilenkin himself acknowledges that the description of the creation of the universe from nothing is given in terms of the laws of physics, we have yet to answer where are these laws? If these laws describe the creation of the universe, that suggests they existed prior to the universe. The question that can’t be answered at this stage where these laws come from and why these laws in particular?

But he rules out the necessity for a “cause”. “In quantum physics, events do not necessarily have a cause, just some probability. As such, there is some probability for the universe to pop out of “nothing.” You can find the relative probability for it to be this size or that size and have various properties, but there will not be a particular cause for any of it, just probabilities.”

http://now.tufts.edu/articles/beginning-was-beginning

[seer]

And you know this, how? Answer this then. Can physical things exist if there is no "space" for them to exist within?

Jim, if you think energy can exist apart from space then it is on you to show how, or where this place is.

[shunyadragon]

1. I have forgotten more about physics and cosmology than you will ever know.

2. Have you ever published any peer-reviewed research?

3. Why can't you spell or construct proper sentences?

4. You still never explained how you "do science" for a living.

I have an idea. Pick a paper from the primary literature and we can critically evaluate it, discuss it, and quiz each other on it...that will put this issue to rest. Put up or shut up.

Put up or shut up.

You have presented nothing to support the ridiculous assertion that your 'opinion' that your rejection of the multiverse hypothesis is 100% Science (Yuck! Yuck!). Where are the reams of peer reviewed papers by physicists and cosmologists supporting your foolishness.

[element771]

You have presented nothing to support the ridiculous assertion that your 'opinion' that your rejection of the multiverse hypothesis is 100% Science (Yuck! Yuck!). Where are the reams of peer reviewed papers by physicists and cosmologists supporting your foolishness.

I have explained my skepticism of the multiverse from a scientific perspective. My opinion is a scientific one and I have the credential, experience, and CV to back it up...how about you?

Unlike yourself, I am a real scientist... not a pretend scientist.

[JimL]

Jim, if you think energy can exist apart from space then it is on you to show how, or where this place is.

Neither of us can tell each other what we don't know, I'm simply asking what you think, because you implied that physical things cannot exist without the existence of "space" for them to exist in. So, is that your argument, that there is nothing outside of the universe because since there is no 'space", nothing could exist there?

[element771]

Can physical things exist if there is no "space" for them to exist within?

This is the type of question that can give you a stroke.

It is like the chicken or the egg...

I would say no BUT then how is the universe here?

If you say yes...then that "non-space" has to have certain properties that make it look a lot like normal "space".

Really nice question...concise and thought provoking.

[37818]

Can physical things exist if there is no "space" for them to exist within?

Matter defines space. Doesn't it.

[element771]

Matter defines space. Doesn't it.

I would say more energy but E=mc^2 so...

[carpedm9587]

I would say more energy but E=mc^2 so...

I once heard a description of space and time that went, "space is the relationship between objects, and time is the relationship between events." While true - objects are matter and events are really about energy - and E=MC^2 - so the description DOES have its limitations.

[seer]

Neither of us can tell each other what we don't know, I'm simply asking what you think, because you implied that physical things cannot exist without the existence of "space" for them to exist in. So, is that your argument, that there is nothing outside of the universe because since there is no 'space", nothing could exist there?

Jim you are the one suggesting this mystical land of fairies. It is not on me to disprove it.

[JimL]

Jim you are the one suggesting this mystical land of fairies. It is not on me to disprove it.

I'm not asking you to disprove anything, i'm asking your opinion since you suggested as much in a previous post. So, is that what you think or not, i.e. that nothing can exist outside of space? Why is that so hard to answer?

[seer]

I'm not asking you to disprove anything, i'm asking your opinion since you suggested as much in a previous post. So, is that what you think or not, i.e. that nothing can exist outside of space? Why is that so hard to answer?

No, I don't think anything physical can exist outside of space.