does empty space exist?

Question

it seems to me that it must, because without it existing, there would be no distance between stars [suns] - its property is distance - empty space or a vacuum is not nonexistence, which by definition cannot exist, ie cannot have even the property of distance

what think you?

Answer 1

Actually, no.
Even in interstellar space there are protons and electrons collecting out of disconnected quarks.
The probability that this matter would be antimatter or normal matter is equal, but somehow the normal matter dominates.
A science book would be able to give you better answers than a philosophy book, as pure reasoning often leads us astray.

Answer 2

Why not just describe the things that exist as being distant?

You could puzzle about holes in the same way. Are you referring to some'thing' or is it the lining of a structure that makes a hole?

Distance really is relational to things, it doesn't inhere in space.. but space is a condition of there being the relation. It's crazy to talk about it as an object. And many times it does have properties -- like air, or dark matter.. and for actual space, other properties such as being-dark, empty, vacuum-like etc. But it's all derivative on entities. Without some postulated thing, these negative qualities would not exist. In fact you can just predicate on the entity -- whatever is most irreducible, the quark of the quark-- that it has space as a condition. That it's being a color entails lack of the same &c.

Answer 3

Empty space likely does exist. Some theorize a pocket of perfectly empty space exists between the ears of the current leader of the United States.

Answer 4

There is actually a lot more empty space than space filled with matter. Atoms are mostly empty space - there is a relatively huge distance between the nucleus and the surrounding electrons. Black holes, quasars and the like are examples of what happens when matter truly gets condensed, but these are relative rarities in the Universe.

Answer 5

Empty space exists. It is that area bounded by what does exist. A vacuum is technically not the same as space since it is actually in reference to gases. Nonexistance does exist in space since it is bounded by existance which is the definition of space/distance.

Answer 6

the idea that without empty space there would be no distance between stars is like saying that there is no distance between london and timbuktu. things do exist between stars and planets. just in smaller quantities than here on earth, making it seem to us that these spaces are empty. just an illusion, i'm afraid. everything is connected to another somehow.

Answer 7

I remember reading an email about Einstein explaining God's existance, based on the idea of Him creating evil (since everything that exists, God made). Now whether it was really Einstein or not is irrelevant. It's the answers that were given that makes sense:

-You can't measure darkness with anything, yet exists, b/c it's the absense of light.
-Cold exists b/c it's the absense of heat.
-Evil exists b/c it's the absense of good.

So for your question, I would have to say that empty space exists b/c it's the absense of substance.

Answer 8

If the Big Bang were like an explosion IN SPACE, we'd be able to see beyond the expanding universe into EMPTY SPACE. But since the Big Bang was an explosion OF SPACE, where space is expanding everywhere, there is no empty space to see. Like one of the answerers said above, space is filled with all kinds of cosmic particles.

Answer 9

Scientist recently discovered there is "something" not just empty space. they "saw" this similar to seeing the invisiable man in a steamy room or fog. Also recently in tests at very near absolute vaccuum suddenly a mysterious substance appeared from Nothing.

Answer 10

As long as you think about it, the empty space will exist.