Nothingness - Is there such a "thing"?

Nothingness - Is there such a "thing"?

From QR Lab by Kuldeep Tagore & Amir Zeki

March 20, 2026 · 43 min · Episode 66

About this episode

The episode explores the paradoxical concept of nothingness and its implications in philosophy and mysticism.

Welcome to Episode 66 of the QR Lab Podcast — Nothingness: The Paradox of the Void In this episode, we take on one of the most mysterious and paradoxical ideas ever contemplated: nothing . What do we actually mean when we talk about nothingness ? Is it truly the absence of everything—or is it something far more profound? Throughout history, philosophers, mystics, and scientists have struggled with this elusive concept. In the mystical traditions of the Sufis, nothingness has even been described as the “black light of illumination” —a symbol pointing toward a deeper form of awareness rather than mere emptiness. Others have described it as a kind of luminous consciousness , a ground from which experience itself emerges. But how can nothing be luminous? How can emptiness contain illumination? These descriptions appear contradictory, yet they persist across cultures and traditions. Are these simply poetic metaphors for something beyond language, or do they point to a deeper structure of reality? In this episode, we wrestle with a series of profound questions: Is nothingness merely a human construct , a conceptual tool created by the mind? Or could nothingness itself represent a kind…

People in this episode

Hosts: Kuldeep Tagore, Amir Zeki

Topics covered

  • nothingness
  • philosophy
  • mysticism
  • existence
  • void
  • consciousness

Keywords

  • nothingness
  • philosophy
  • void
  • existence
  • consciousness
  • mysticism
  • Sufis

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Sufis

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