Isn't it logically impossible (by definition or analytically) to know "nothing"?

Question

If by "nothing," we mean that which has no being or is a metaphysical absence, then how could anyone know "nothing"? Maybe the Platonic concept of meontic nothingness might be knowable. But "nothing" in the sense of "no-thing" seems logically impossible to know.

Answer 1

"Nothing" is a linguistic oddity. There are a variety of ways to create abstraction using the English language. These philosophical question are only meaningful to species who speak English and languages that are similarly structured.

A thing is an object. A "nothing" would be a non-object. The metaphysical would qualify as a non-thing. There, however, can be physical things and metaphysical things.

This is mental masturbation with very unusual languages.

Nothingness, in philosophy though is often the result of the mental instability of philosopher and the means that they are taught in how to assess an issue.

What is nothing?

Answer 2

The simple answer to your question is. No.

If I were to elaborate, I would say. No, it is not logically impossible (by definition or analytically) to know "nothing"?

I would have to say that the opposite is closer to the truth. Please allow me to elaborate, and please understand that I do this only to play Devil's Advocate. :)

First, if I know something, let's say that I know physics, and I know math...this doesn't imply that I know everything about these subjects. Only that I know them. The perception regarding my knowledge of these things will vary from person to person but typically there is a range that most people consider knowledge in a given subject.

If I were to follow this path of logic, then the study of nothing would be a valid one and someone who studied nothing as an actual subject (not that they aren't studying, because they are) could be said to know nothing. If nothing else, they could know about nothing or have working knowledge of nothing.

If we go with the positive and negative aspect that you might be considering, where the two words themselves would cancel each other out due to the base definitions, then things would be different. At that point we have clever wordplay and someone who knows nothing, literally knows nothing. This might be a brief state of mind, like a zen mind, when everything is literally turned off and the person knows absolutely nothing. His or her knowledge of nothing is nothing short of amazing and he's perfectly at peace with this nothingness. Or it could be someone who is just born and at this point is a blank slate...knowing nothing.

Um, my mind just shut off and my arm hurts, so that's all that I have for now. Great question by the way, it's nice to see a few of these now and then. I hope that you find your answer.

Love as always,

Dan

Answer 3

You sound like you've been reading Flannery O'Connor's "Good Country People" in which a nihilist reads a similar statement about how neither science nor religion wishes to know about "nothing." It's a good point, but it's not going to stop the nihilists in the world.

Answer 4

Well in order to take into account this idea, logic would initially be suspended... If you know nothing, it is inherently the absence of knowledge and reversal in growing to the state of infancy. I believe it was Picasso who said, "It takes a long time to grow young." It is the desired state of any one who is enlightened to return to this state of primitivism.

Answer 5

it's entirely possible to know "nothing" metaphysically or regarding metaphysics, but we can (and necessarily do) know a whole lot about the logical and illogical systems we've created to explain metaphysics and the world around us.

there's no reason to think that we do or do not know anything about metaphysics as such

Answer 6

I.don't.know
that.we.know
anything.

According.to
Kahlil.Gibran.
how.does.one
know.he.knows.

His.thoughts
are.based.on
the.fact.that
we.determine
that.we.know.
not.that.we.really
know.He.ask
how.we.know
a.table.is.a.table
and.not.a.chair.
THE.ANSWER
is.simply.that
someone.decided
to.call.it.a.table
in.lieu.of.a.chair.
Someone.decided
and.we.all.followed
that.death.is.dead
why.couldn't.death
be.called.life?.So
to.say.is.it.possible
to.know.absolutely
nothing.we.first.have
to.prove.that.we
absolutely.know
something.

Smiles,in.case
you're.wondering..
I.don't.drink,
don't.smoke
don't.shoot.up
and.not.an.escapeee
from.an.institution
hehehe

check.out.Kahlil Gibran
IT'S.KINDA.HEAVY
but,once.u.get.into
it.it.makes.you.think
about.many.things.we
think.we.know...or
is.it.don't.know

ANYWAY,I.don't.know
if.it.is.possible.to.know
if.there.is.ANYONE.
WHO.knows.NOTHING.
I.think.it.is.possible
to.know.absolutely
nothing.if.you.are
born.deaf,blind.and
unable.to.speak.
There.was.a.movie
I.think.it.was.a
true.case.called
JOHNNIE.BELINDA
Plot Outline In post-war Cape Breton, a doctor's efforts to tutor a.blind/ deaf/mute woman are undermined when she is raped, and the resulting pregnancy causes scandal to swirl..,

A.doctor.taught.her
how.to.communicate,
but.before.then.
we.have.to
ASSUME.she.
knew.nothing.

Answer 7

U will know nothing if u are living bad!

Answer 8

One can perceive nothing, but not "know" it. It is the absence of, not an entity unto itself one can know or be familiar with.

Answer 9

That's all based on the fact that we all actually know something. We think we KNOW that what we know is fact. Facts are always be prooven to be incorrect. If you can disprove something you "know" then it can be said that you know nothing.

Answer 10

Yep! I know "of" nothing.
(What Is the speed of dark?)