Some have claimed that, if there had never been anything, there wouldn’t have been anything to
be explained. But that is not so.
When we imagine how things would have been if nothing had ever existed, what we should
imagine away are such things as living beings, stars and atoms.
There would still have been various truths, such as the truth that there were no stars or
atoms, or that 9 is divisible by 3.
We can ask why these things would have been true. And such questions may have answers.
Thus we can explain why, even if nothing had ever existed, 9 would still have been divisible by 3. There is no conceivable alternative. And we can explain why there would have been no such things as immaterial matter, or spherical cubes. Such things are logically impossible. But why would nothing have existed? Why would there have been no stars or atoms, no philosophers or bluebell woods?
If nothing had ever existed, that state of affairs would not have needed to be caused.
be explained. But that is not so.
When we imagine how things would have been if nothing had ever existed, what we should
imagine away are such things as living beings, stars and atoms.
There would still have been various truths, such as the truth that there were no stars or
atoms, or that 9 is divisible by 3.
We can ask why these things would have been true. And such questions may have answers.
Thus we can explain why, even if nothing had ever existed, 9 would still have been divisible by 3. There is no conceivable alternative. And we can explain why there would have been no such things as immaterial matter, or spherical cubes. Such things are logically impossible. But why would nothing have existed? Why would there have been no stars or atoms, no philosophers or bluebell woods?
If nothing had ever existed, that state of affairs would not have needed to be caused.
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