Review of The Consequences of the Concept of Nothingness

[Mutai Marshal]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Consequences of the Concept of Nothingness" by Tom E. Kimmons.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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The Consequences of the Concept of Nothingness explores how different groups, the Creationists, Eternalities, and Out-of-Nothing Naturalists, perceive how the universe came into being. Tom E. Kimmons posits that the Creationists believe God created the universe out of nothing. Their thoughts are guided by what is written in religious books and driven by faith. The Eternalities, such as Einstein, Steinhardt, and Friedman, hold the belief that existence is infinite, while the Out-of-Nothing Naturalists are diverse and base their opinions on fields like quantum mechanics, the expanding universe, and the Big Bang theory. Just like the Eternalists, they are driven by science-based, factual methods in determining truth and falsity. A fascinating discussion arises on the concept of nothingness; what is nothingness, and who defines it? Is it a state of matter?

I liked how critical the author was throughout the book. For every ideology, he provided background information before dispensing his thoughts: why he agrees or challenges. My favourite part was how he challenged the concept of nothingness. Curiously, a plethora of scientists have tried to define it. As a research student, I found the arising epistemological and ontological concepts in the book's entirety. I appreciated that the author acknowledged the input of parents and guardians in shaping our schools of thought. Therefore, the discussion around our origin will ensue forever, and the information-laden technology will further enhance this discussion.

Despite the ongoing debate, Tom acknowledges the need to respect everyone's thoughts and that it's fine not knowing everything. It is worse to operate under the pretense of knowing something and basing it on pretentious knowledge to justify a conclusion. Most of the information was cited showing that the author acknowledges other authors' contributions while displaying a deeper understanding of the ensuing debate. I felt encouraged that we can challenge even the most influential figures in philosophy using our critical thinking and science as what they conclude isn't always the gospel truth. This will become clearer to the readers as they read about great philosophers like Aristotle and Plato.

I didn't dislike anything in this discourse by Tom E. Kimmons. It can be a sophisticated read for most people but the more you read on and process the information the more it makes sense. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thought-provoking books about reality and how things came to be. With an open mind, readers will grasp massive chunks of information by reading this book. Unfortunately, I deducted a star because the book contains some spacing errors. They did not influence my reading experience, fortunately. I, therefore, rate The Consequences of the Concept of Nothingness four out of five stars.

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The Consequences of the Concept of Nothingness
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