The Void (philosophy)

The Void is the philosophical concept of nothingness manifested. The notion of the Void is relevant to several realms of metaphysics.

The manifestation/obtaining of nothingness is closely associated with the contemplation of emptiness, and with human attempts to identify and personify it. As such, the concept of the Void, and ideas similar to it, have a significant and historically evolving presence in artistic and creative expression, as well as in academic, scientific and philosophical debate surrounding the nature of the human condition.

In Western mystical traditions, it was often argued that the transcendent 'Ground of Being' could therefore be approached through aphairesis, a form of negation.

Philosophy
Western philosophers have discussed the existence and nature of void since Parmenides suggested it did not exist and used this to argue for the non-existence of change, motion, differentiation, among other things. In response to Parmenides, Democritus described the universe as only being composed of atoms and void.

Aristotle, in Book IV of Physics, denied the existence of the Void (κενόν) with his rejection of finite entities.

Stoic philosophers admitted the subsistence of four incorporeals among which they included void: "Outside of the world is diffused the infinite void, which is incorporeal. By incorporeal is meant that which, though capable of being occupied by body, is not so occupied. The world has no empty space within it, but forms one united whole. This is a necessary result of the sympathy and tension which binds together things in heaven and earth. Chrysippus discusses the void in his work On Void and in the first book of his Physical Sciences; so too Apollophanes in his Physics, Apollodorus, and Posidonius in his Physical Discourse, book ii."

There were questions as to whether void was truly nothing or if it was in fact filled with other things, with theories of aether being suggested in the 18th century to fill the void.

Particle physics
In The Void (2007), particle physicist Frank Close discusses the concept of 'empty space' from Aristotle through to Newton, Mach, Einstein and beyond (including the idea of an 'aether' and current examinations of the Higgs field).

Another perspective on the matter from a scientific angle is the work of the physicist Lawrence Krauss, particularly his 2012 book A Universe from Nothing, in which he explores the idea of the universe having been derived from a quantum vacuum (which may or may not be the same as a philosophical concept of the nothingness of the Void, depending on how it is defined).

A further consideration is the enigmatic nature of dark energy which may be seen as coterminous with the Void. His work has received sustained criticism from David Albert and others working in both philosophy and physics.

Art

 * Marina Abramović, Holding emptiness (2012).
 * Alberto Giacometti, Hands Holding the Void (Invisible Object). ''(1934)
 * Yves Klein, Le Vede (The Void) (1958) and "Leap Into the Void" (1960).
 * Lee Ufan, Marking Infinity (2011).

Music

 * Steve Roach, The Magnificent Void (1996).
 * The Beatles, "Tomorrow Never Knows" (1966).
 * Hole, The Void (1995)
 * Old Season, "The Void" (2017).
 * Nine Inch Nails, "Into the Void" (1999).
 * Palaye Royale, "Love the Void" (2018).
 * Klangos, "Vergessen" (2020).
 * Pouya "Void" (2018)
 * Townes Van Zandt "Nothin'" (1970).
 * Melanie Martinez, "VOID" (2023).
 * Twin Tribes, “Portal to the Void” (2018)

Literature

 * Albert Camus and absurdism.
 * Jack Kerouac's Desolation Angels (1965).

Video games

 * The Void, released in 2008
 * The Dishonored franchise.
 * EverQuest contains a zone called "The Void".
 * Hollow Knight by Team Cherry, with Void being one of the main elements.
 * Dark Souls contains an analogous concept known as "the Abyss."
 * Rain World contains an acidic sea called "The Void Sea" which is capable of halting reincarnation
 * Risk of Rain 2 has a realm called The Void and several enemies and locations therein.
 * Voidigo is entirely based on The Void and The Antivoid (likely Aether)
 * DOOM fan-wad Void.wad also presents an early gaze into such a realm

Films

 * Altered States, a 1980 American science-fiction horror film directed by Ken Russell.
 * Crimes and Misdemeanors, a 1989 American existential comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen.
 * Nothing, a 2003 Canadian philosophical comedy-drama film directed by Vincenzo Natali.
 * Beyond the Black Rainbow, a 2010 Canadian science fiction horror film written and directed by Panos Cosmatos.
 * The Void, a 2016 Canadian Lovecraftian horror film written and directed by Steven Kostanski and Jeremy Gillespie