Regardless of the accepted version and the type of turtles being deployed, it is clear that our universe is very large and composed mostly of nothingness—and will increasingly be filled with nothingness (or perhaps more black holes) as it expands, continuing the Big Bang explosion. I used to deliver a lecture entitled “God has to be much bigger, given the recent discoveries regarding the Big Bang.” Whether or not we believe in some divine source, and whether or not we believe that this source created our universe, it is necessary for us to acknowledge that the vast expanse of nothingness is very real. Most of what is “out there” is a massive, numinostic Void.
So, we are left with the Void. This is not only the Void that is conveyed in our description of the nothingness that existed prior to the Big Bang. And that still exists in most of the universe. The Void also exists in the explanations that are offered regarding where something came from and why something (rather than nothing) exists at all. As Rudolph Otto noted, the Void of nothingness is indeed “awe-full” and a source of confusion, elusiveness, and ultimately despair. As Mona experienced, absence lingers in our head, heart (and soul)—be it the absence of something or of an adequate explanation of why there is something.
Despite the state in which we find ourselves when contemplating nothingness and the Big Bang/Big Silence/Big Heat/Big Wave/Big Confusion, there is good reason to pursue the psychology of nothingness, for as I have tried to show, nothingness and the Void are a big deal in our daily life and influence the way we perceive and engage our world. Specifically, I wish to consider the movement in both directions of nothingness and something (Being). I begin with the movement from nothingness to Being (that which occurs during the creation of our universe).
From Nothingness to Being
While we might not grasp how being comes from nothingness in our universe. We do witness this remarkable transformation occurring in our lives. In several other publications, I have distinguished different types of issues we confront in our everyday world. There are puzzles that have clear answers and operate within specific parameters, while there are problems that have no clear answers and operate through several different parameters (such as financial, logistical, aesthetic, political, and psychological parameters in the formulation of a city plan). It gets even more complicated (and complex), given that some problems are nested in other problems; furthermore, the problem might best be solved in two different, contradictory ways. Polarized solutions to complex problems are commonplace and are often labeled “wicked” or “messy” by social planners and observers.
Confronting Mysteries
Finally, there are issues that are best conceived as “mysteries.” Their ultimate cause is not understood, and the human capacity to find an adequate solution to a “mystery” is lacking. The mystery might include challenging, and often existential, factors such as immorality, evil, and even death. How do we ultimately make sense of the holocaust or the death of a loving, cared-for child? The mystery can also reside in that which is cherished, beautiful, and life-giving. As the lyricist inquired: “What about love?”
