What Is Absolute Non-Existence or Nothingness?

Some people believe when we die, there is nothing but non-existence or nothingness, and we will be destroyed after the death of our physical body. But does non-existence really exist?

The human mind sometimes fails to understand simple truths and is deceived by its own complex thinking. The above question is an example of this. Non-existence is a conventional term which refers to the absence of being, and it has gained its validity from this absence. In fact, non-existence or nothingness cannot exist because if it did, it would be no longer non-existent.

Simply put, if there is such a thing as “non-existence” it comes into existence. It does not make sense that something that does not exist suddenly turns into existence and becomes non-existent again. This misconception leads some to think that God has created things out of non-existence.

How Was Non-Existence Born?

Ever since humans accepted zero as a number, they have gradually got confused about the concept of non-existence or nothingness. In the past, numbers were used for practical purposes like counting objects, that is, for counting the things which actually existed, like two apples or five horses, etc. But there was something missing in this counting system, and zero filled that gap! There was no specific sign or word when all the apples were eaten, or all the horses were sold. Hence, gradually, mathematicians considered zero as a convention to refer to the empty place of a number.

However, this change gradually deviated from its original principle, to the point where zero turned into an independent concept. Zero, which was originally a convention to show the absence of something, has now turned into an independent concept in people’s minds: a symbol used to show the contradictory notion of the existence of nothing! There are still many people who, despite being specialized in mathematics, do not see Zero as a convention, but they consider it as “nothing” or “absence of existence.”

Perhaps the best definition of Zero can be derived from the concept of ‘zero and one’ in the programming language where one indicates the presence of a sign or number, and zero indicates its absence. Our intention throughout this discussion has been to note that absence, non-existence, zero, or nothing cannot exist. That is because if it existed, it would no longer be non-existent.

When Non-Existence Becomes Important

But why is it so important for us to understand the concept of non-existence? Why should we worry about the correct definition of something that does not exist? One reason is the different interpretations and definitions given about non-existence. The way we define non-existence or nothingness greatly affects our view and analysis of the world around us. Without understanding non-existence, we will face problems in knowing many phenomena.

For example, if we do not properly understand non-existence, we cannot explain the concept of coldness correctly, because coldness is the absence of heat. The same thing goes for the relationship between light and darkness: darkness is the absence of light.

But this issue is not limited to understanding a few physical phenomena. Knowing the concept of non-existence or nothingness has far-reaching effects; it has a great impact on our worldview and perception of the world and ourselves.

The Relation between Existence and Non-Existence

Perhaps one of the strangest scenes that occupied our minds as children was the sight of a dove coming out of the magician’s empty hat, that is, something coming into existence from non-existence or nothingness. We do not mean to mention magic tricks here. But we intend to state that the concept of non-existence has been clear to us ever since our childhood. We were amazed by the contradiction embedded in it because we believed it was not possible to create something from nothing.

The importance of understanding the concept of non-existence becomes more apparent when we want to talk about existence and its attributes, since non-existence is the opposite of existence. Existence means “presence and being.” Hence, non-existence means nothingness and is “absolute non-being.”

A correct understanding of the concept of non-existence can greatly help us to better understand the concept of existence. Existence is infinite and cannot be limited because the only thing that can limit existence is something other than existence itself. Nothing other than existence exists! Therefore, basically, there is nothing in the world that can limit existence. The other name for the Infinite Absolute Existence is God. Nothing exists outside God’s essence, and all objects and phenomena in the world are manifestations of His essence.

In this article, we discussed the concept of non-existence or nothingness. We learned that the concept of non-existence as a convention has gradually undergone changes, and sometimes, it has been used as an independent concept. We stated that a correct understanding of non-existence helps us understand other phenomena. Finally, we examined the relationship between non-existence and existence.

Please ask your questions about this concept in the comments section.