Jump to content

Creatio ex materia: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
No edit summary
Undid revision 209559558 by 63.241.173.112 (talk)
Line 1: Line 1:
'''Nothing comes from nothing''' is a philosophical expression of a thesis first argued by [[Parmenides]], often stated in its [[Latin]] form: '''''[[ex nihilo]] nihil fit.''''' Today, the idea is loosely associated with the laws of [[conservation of mass]] and [[Conservation of energy|energy]]. The concept behind this phrase is quite important to philosophical and theological inquiry. Specifically, this notion weighs in heavily in the arena of the origin of the universe. If it is understood to be true and axiomatic, then devastating consequences follow for many popular cosmogonies.
'''Nothing comes from nothing''' is a philosophical expression of a thesis first argued by [[Parmenides]], often stated in its [[Latin]] form: '''''[[ex nihilo]] nihil fit.''''' Today, the idea is loosely associated with the laws of [[conservation of mass]] and [[Conservation of energy|energy]].


In [[John Gardner (novelist)|John Gardner]]'s ''[[Grendel (novel)|Grendel]]'', [[Grendel]] says "''Nihil ex nihilo''" after he wakes up from a nightmare at the end of Chapter 10.
In [[John Gardner (novelist)|John Gardner]]'s ''[[Grendel (novel)|Grendel]]'', [[Grendel]] says "''Nihil ex nihilo''" after he wakes up from a nightmare at the end of Chapter 10.

Revision as of 01:07, 2 May 2008

Nothing comes from nothing is a philosophical expression of a thesis first argued by Parmenides, often stated in its Latin form: ex nihilo nihil fit. Today, the idea is loosely associated with the laws of conservation of mass and energy.

In John Gardner's Grendel, Grendel says "Nihil ex nihilo" after he wakes up from a nightmare at the end of Chapter 10.

In Shakespeare's King Lear, the king says, "Nothing can come of nothing" to his daughter Cordelia, meaning that as long as she says nothing to flatter him, she will receive nothing from him.[1] Later, Lear nearly repeats the line, saying, "Nothing can be made out of nothing." (Act 1.1 and Act 1.4 respectively).

References

See also