AboutJ.M.J. West Expertise I am versed in formal logic and the predicate calculus; Modern Philosophy, Anglo-American Philosophy, Contemporary Philosophy, And Christian/Catholic Philosophy. I can answer questions on - but not limited to - The Pre-Socratics, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, The Stoics, the Early Church Era, St. Justin Martyr, Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, Ockham, Moore, Descartes, Leibniz, Spinoza, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, Kant, Nietzsche, Russell, G. E. Moore, Quine, Rorty, Plantinga, etc.
I also have experience with Philosophy of Religion, Epistemology and other areas.
Experience I have a BA in Philosophy and History, and am continuing my education in both areas while discerning grad school.
Education/Credentials Bachelors Degrees in Philosophy and History, (political science emphasis)
Awards and Honors Cum laude, 1st Annual Harold Parker Award for Excellence in History, Benedictine College.
Question QUESTION: Hello, how are you? I would like to ask you some questions about a hypothetical
situation. Let's say an infinite amount of matter is filling up empty space, meaning
every space is filled with matter, and is growing to be infinitely dense. Since this
scenario is conceptually possible, does this mean space is no longer existent? Is it
possible that empty space can be annihilated? Can particle physics laboratories
achieve this? Does theoretical physics predict this? I have asked you a question similar
to this topic before. Thank you for your time.
ANSWER: Hey Joe,
There are two ways to answer this.
The first way would be to understand that filling space with "matter" means filling it with "atoms", and it seems to be the case that atoms are 99% "nothing". So if the universe were filled with as much matter as it could hold, there would still be empty space.
The second way would be to understand the link between Matter and Energy (that famous E=MC^2), and that ultimately they are very similar, and that the universe may already be filled with energy which, in certain circumstances may become matter. Thus there is no actual void, but only pockets of rather superdense energy through which matter (solidified energy) can move.
Could a particle physics laboratory do this? No. The amount of energy needed to create that much matter on our end would be beyond what a billion suns could produce.
Clever thoughts though!
Pax,
-J.M.J. West
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thank you for your answer. I would like to ask you two follow-up questions.
What happens if an infinite amount of "indivisible" particles are filling up every
conceivable space, would space be annihilated? Also, does an object(such as a
black hole) have mass approaching infinite density or is it already infinitely
dense?
Answer 1) Define "space", because by some accounts, "space" as a term is a useful abstraction and nothing real. You would have extension as far as it could go in all directions (though it is actually impossible to have a definite infinite amount of anything, since infinity goes on beyond what is attainable anyway).
2) I'm not an expert on black holes, but it's certainly possible (and I think general relativity predicts that) they eventually reach infinite density...so if this is the case, then it may be impossible to fill up the whole of the universe, or at least assuming the existence of black holes, they may provide a loophole to solve the dilemma you proposed above.
