Mental Mystery – Why is there something rather than nothing?

Why is there something instead of nothing? This question might sound extremely odd because it really is odd. The reason for this might depend on how you perceive this question. Either this question might seem extremely profound to you or it might seem plain stupid. This is a question often asked in the philosophical world. In fact, it is one of the best philosophical questions out there.

To answer this philosophical mystery, one will have to understand two important terms namely, ‘reasons’ and ‘causes’. Let us take one of the most popular questions of all time to understand this. “Why did the chicken cross the road?” The answer to this question is the chicken’s reasons. Its reasons comprise its beliefs, intentions, its hopes and its desires, and so on. The only probable answer to this is that it wanted to get to the other side. On the other hand, if someone asked a question like “Why is the temperature across the earth constantly rising?” For this, one will have to look into the causes of the phenomena. One will have to look for an explanation that describes what exactly the causes for this rise in temperature are. Using this analogy, let us now try to answer the question, “Why is there something instead of nothing?” In order to answer this philosophical mystery, it is important to clarify whether we are asking about the reasons for this question, or if we are inquiring about the causes.

There is no reasoning to this question apart from the fact that God is supreme and omnipotent. However, the downside to this argument is that it will instantly be rejected by people who do not believe in God. This argument is rendered invalid if some people claim that there is no God.

The next approach to this question is by considering what the causal explanation for this question would be. One of the most popular theories that talk about the creation of the universe is the Big Bang theory. Some claim the Big Bang theory to be the first event to have occurred in the universe. It was only after this event that other events occurred. But there needs to be a cause for the first event as well. The result of such a logic would be an endless loop of causes and one would arrive at no answer.

This is why the question that we are trying to answer here, is one of the best philosophical questions. If there was nothing in the beginning, no space and time, then what could probably be the reason of causal explanation for something appearing out of nothing? Maybe there is no answer to this question. Maybe the only thing that we can do is accept the fact that the world simply exists.