Objectivism 101 Concept Chart Metaphysics Axiom Existence Exists Identity Consciousness Reality is Absolute: The Primacy of Existence Causality Nothing Contradiction An Entity is a Sum of Its Parts Mental Entities The Metaphysical Versus the Man-Made Epistemology Ethics Politics Esthetics Discuss Metaphysics

Nothing

Nothing, or non-existence, is that which doesn't exist. It is not a metaphysical entity. It doesn't exist. It has no identity. It is not an object.

Non-existence is a concept that is meaningless by itself. It isn't something. It is a relational concept, gaining meaning only in comparison to another concept. Non-existence gains meaning only in comparison to existence. It is the denial of existence. The concept "nothing" is a denial of the existence of a particular entity. Both "non-existence" and "nothing" are denials of concepts, which must be accepted and understood in order to give meaning to "non-existence" or "nothing".

The important point is that "nothing" is just that: nothing. It doesn't exist. It has no identity. It's not a vacuum. It's not dark. It's not cold. It has no characteristics. As a tool of cognition, it can be useful, but doesn't exist.