Why is there something instead of nothing?

Answer 1

The role of intelligence is to understand what is, in order to be able to survive. So your question is not the right question. The right question is what is this "something". The answer is in science not in philosophy.

Answer 2

The question may seem trivial, but:

What is the definition of "nothing"?

It is hypothesized (and soon to be tested at CERN) that even "empty" space has a non-zero energy, so even what we think of as "nothing" may be "something".

Of course, the best answer is "We don't really know". Religion offers some possible answers, but in general it's virtually impossible to speculate with any accuracy as to singular events. As Hume and others point out, practical knowledge is experential--and since we have no experiential knowledge of universes being created, the best we can do is offer mere speculation about the creation of this one.

If you believe "received" or "mystical" knowledge might offer you better (or more emotionally satisfying) results, you can always attempt that route, but it seems like the mileage tends to vary widely in any event.

Answer 3

Does there have to be a reason? Trying to define the reason for existence is in essence the search for god isn't it. To say that there is a reason is to say that there is form, or plan of some sort, which leads to the question of who or what's plan. Unfortunately, said search begins and ends in the same spot, faith. Either you have it or you don't. In my mind, there is no reason.

Or if you like, nature abhors a vacuum, so something had to spring forth from nothing. Where that rule came from, and why it existed before nothing, is a conundrum. It could also be that there is nothing, except for you, or me. And since my mind has such a hard time comprehending nothing, it created something. Or it could truly be random chance, which is equally hard to comprehend, i think, so we look for, and sometimes invent, answers.

Answer 4

Sometimes questions are grammatically correct but semantically meaningless. For example, the question, "What is North of the North Pole?" is grammatically correct, so it sounds like a real question, but there IS no North of the North Pole, so it's meaningless. Your question is misleading in this way, too, and might even have misled you. It's grammatically correct to ask "Why is there something instead of nothing?", but since the question is about the root state of being, there can be no explanation for it. So it's a meaningless question.

Answer 5

The nothing is, perhaps, at present, too subtle for you to consciously notice ! But easy to explain. When you at sleep state, experientially, you are into nothingness! And this nothingness is so essential, without it for even a couple of days, your somethings shakes badly ! It is said a Nobel prize was awarded for scientific research years ago about this 'nothing' theory, the name may be 'bubble chamber'.

Answer 6

The reason for your question is very simple because God is showing you / us His love for companionship but not in the self entertaining/gratifying way but rather in the (its your choice type way ) so instead of making it impossible for humankind to exist to make this choice He had giving us all the resource's we needed thus allowing there to be something instead of nothing.

Answer 7

It all depends on your frame of reference. You can't conceive of "something" without being able to measure it relative to "nothing". Therefore, the existance of something necessitates the existance of nothing.

I can't answer any more definitive - but to my mind this clarifies the question somewhat.

Answer 8

Because it wouldn't sound right to ask someone
"hey, wanna go out and do nothing tonight?"

Answer 9

We can all speculate, but at the end of the day no one knows.

Answer 10

gives rocks something to dream about