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Philosophy Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [universe]

114 questions
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If the universe has a beginning does that prove God exists?

It is curious to note that a eminent Physicist like Stephen Hawking thinks the universe has a beginning. This has some rather startling Religious implications You can find the link here: http://www.hawking.org.uk/the-beginning-of-time.html Now let…
Neil Meyer
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11 answers

Have I found a paradox, or is the universe digital? Or am I just plain wrong?

If the universe is analog, there must exist an infinite number of positions. This raises an interesting question. Let me boil it down to something familiar: a table and an ashtray. I'll let the ashtray be square, just for convenience. In an analog…
Mads Aggerholm
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How could our universe suddenly appear out of nothingness?

How could our universe suddenly appear out of nothingness? I understand that the big bang created all things but how could it when nothingness is purely the absence of everything?
Dan
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Proof Universe Came From Nothing?

Consider the following proof: (1) Let the Universe be defined as the set of all things. (2) It is impossible for a thing to come from itself. (You can't be your own parent) (3) 2 implies a set of things cannot contain its own source. (4) For all…
Andrew Tomazos
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Intuitively, why are Universal Statements true in the Empty Universe?

Source: p 165. Sweet Reason: A Field Guide to Modern Logic (2010 2 ed) by Henle, Garfield, Tymoczko. I read this on Math SE; please advise if it pertains to my simpler question.   One property of the empty universe [hereafter EU] is that every…
user8572
6
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5 answers

Is it possible to prove that the universe either is or isn't a simulation?

Can it be philosophically proven that the Universe either is or is not a simulation? If someone was in a simulation, could they tell? What would the differences be between a simulated universe and a "real" universe?
TestinginProd
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Do distinctions and concepts exist?

Before answering the question, keep in mind that I am a second-year Biology student, with a lack of formal study in Philosophy. Original post: I believe, all definitions, words, and concepts (abstract ideas) are arbitrary (here I define arbitrary…
Simon
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What would a fractal universe tell us about Time?

To begin with let's look at what is known as the coastline paradox. Briefly it goes like this: If you measure the circumference of Britain with a 1km long stick, and then do the same with a 100m long stick, you will find that with the shorter stick…
christo183
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Are There Alternatives to Determinism and Stochasticism?

From my physicist's point of view, there are basically two ways of seeing the world: The world can be fundamentally deterministic or fundamentally stochastic (see also indeterminism). I believe that there is no third option, as the immediate future…
The Ledge
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Is time more "real" than math and, if so, why?

How is time different from math? Is time a part of math? For me time is like math rather than a "real" thing. Time is just a tool rather than a "fundamental thing". I feel confident saying that an object like my computer exists outside of my brain,…
Fuel
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Why is 2+2=4 a necessary truth?

A necessary truth is something which is true in all possible worlds. How can we be sure that there is no other universe where 2+2=4 can be untrue.
stack exchange
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Is being logical for our Universe, is the only possible option?

There is a lot of questions around such as why mathematics/scientific laws rules the universe (or as an alternative view, they are just our tool to quantify it, and universe exist as exists), but my question is not about that, I think if our…
TMS
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Is it theoretically possible for a bottomless pits to exist in a finite universe?

Assuming that our universe is finite, is it still theoretically possible to have a bottomless pit? This all really depends on the definition of bottomless pit. I don't know that I can accurately define what that is, but here is a criterion to…
C. Tewalt
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In our best scientific theories, is there a difference between "the universe" and "reality"?

In our best scientific theories, is there a difference between "the universe" and "reality"? Are all scientific realists committed to the idea that there is a mind independent universe that our theories are true of, or can some realists talk about…
user62233
4
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2 answers

Are all unobservables in physics very small?

Are all unobservables in physics very small? I think I've read that the interior of the sun is an unobservable, and so entity realists like Ian Hacking have to claim we can't know anything at all about it, since we can't directly manipulate it,…
confused
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