What is nothing?
Whether the universe exists or not, Pi is still 3.14159..., the area of a circle is still Pi times the radius squared, one plus one is two, A-A=0, and zero divided by zero can be anything. Such mathematical laws are unchangeable and exist as part of nature beyond the physical universe.
When we use the word "nothing" we mean no space, no time, no matter, no light, no energy and, in other words, no universe.
When we use the word "nature" we include the universe and the laws beyond.
Let's start our investigation by imagining a small sphere in the vacuum of outer space. Does this sphere contain nothing? Not at all, since this sphere contains light from distant galaxies, a sea of virtual particles that pop in and out of existence and the space inside the sphere. This sphere is far from containing nothing. Let’s imagine that the space and time are also removed from this sphere. Since space has been removed, we could think of this sphere as having a radius of zero. Now we are getting closer to nothing.
We might imagine that “nothing” is a collection of these spheres of zero radius separated by zero distance:
Next Section:
How balance can create "something" from "nothing".
