A Rational Cosmology: The Impossibility of the Universe Having a Shape, Boundary, or Edge

Recent empiricist-positivist speculations have entered the realm of whether or not the universe has a particular geometric shape, whether it is curved, or donut-shaped, or spherical, how far the "edge of the universe" lies, and what is "beyond" that "edge."

God, "parallel universes," and the possibility of "round-the-universe trips" have been invoked in empiricist-positivist theories attempting to explain these "riddles." However, there is nothing mysterious about questions such as "What shape is the universe?" or "What is beyond its edge?" These questions are simply erroneous.

"Shape" is a quality pertaining to an entity; it is a quality derived from a given entity's measurements in three spatial dimensions, such measurements being a topic for later discussion. "Boundary" is another quality derived from the quantitative extent of a given entity's measurements in three spatial dimensions. Wherever these measurements end is the entity's boundary.

These are qualities pertaining to entities, but the universe is not an entity. The universe is simply a convenient shorthand for "everything that exists," a verbal substitute for listing every specific entity by name. Thus, the universe cannot be cubic, rhombic, octahedral, cylindrical, spherical, or of any other shape. The universe is not a particular entity, and does not have any measurements pertaining to it qua universe. Lacking such measurements, it also lacks any "boundary" at which said measurements would terminate.

Indeed, to discuss the "shape" of the universe is akin to wondering what kind of "shape" the following group of entities has: (a specific table in Chicago, a specific chair in Bombay, a specific knife in London). Without moving these entities so that they touch one another, we can invent a term to call this group. We can refer to it as supertableknifechair. Would it make any sense to speak of supertableknifechair having a "shape" of any sort?

But the universe is just supertableknifechair and everything else. If supertableknifechair can have no shape, how can the addition of other entities to this group, irrespective of their location, impart a shape upon the result?

Let us also note that this does not imply that the universe is "infinite," either, i.e., that it has spatial measurements of infinite magnitude; it does not have any measurements whatsoever. Measurements pertain only to entities, and the universe is not an entity. The terms "finite" and "infinite" are of no relevance to the universe, as shall be shown in later essays.

Moreover, there is nothing beyond the universe. The universe is defined as everything that exists. There cannot be anything more! If we granted that there was something outside the universe, this entity, outside of what exists, would not exist, thus still affirming the fact that there is nothing beyond the universe.

Read other parts of "A Rational Cosmology" by clicking here.