[Discussion] Half Empty or Half Full

[PEDRO12]

Ah, here is something I've really thought about a bit and it confuses the crap out of me O.o

Is a cup half full the same as a cup half empty?
Is it the same if you grow larger as it is if the entire world shrinks?
Does the universe have a border? If so, what is there beyond that border? Nothing you say? Where does that nothing end? >_>
<Insert completely mind damaging question here>

I know this is a weird topic which is why I'm very intrigued to see what discussion will spawn :3 There are so many ways this can go so discuss GOGOGOGOGOGOGO :3

[gimmepie]

Depends how you mean. In the literal sense they are technically the same thing if you ask me. Since both refer to a glass being full and empty in equal degrees. Figuratively they are entirely different as I'm sure you well know. Glass half full is an optimistic outlook and glass half empty is a pessimistic outlook.

I was unsure if this question was meant to be literal or figurative so that's the best answer I can give you right now.

[Scarf]

It's just a phrase you use to say if someone is a positive ("I still have half left") or negative ("I've lost half") outlook. They mean the same thing literally, although if you had a full cup and drank half of it you'd probably more likely say it's half empty because you're in the process of emptying it, and just the opposite for a cup you're filling up. It's also an example of how two people can look at the same thing and come away with different views of what it is, how your outlook shapes your perception.

[PEDRO12]

Well more or less I don't mean in a physical sense. See think about it this way, if the world shrinks, what happened to the space it used to occupy? Is there just more empty space? Or did that space shrink with the world? If that space shrank, what is left in its place?
Mind = Blown

There are lots of other matters similar to this that are more or less at a cosmic scale that cannot be explained. I kinda worded the OP wrong, forgot to mention that I was meaning for a discussion about all this weird unexplainable stuff. Some people say it's impossible to know this because we are of limited knowledge. Was hoping to see what people thought about this lol.

[gimmepie]

Well as far as that goes we'll never be able to truly comprehend these things because we are too small and insignificant to view events at a large scale like that. If the entire universe were to shrink who's to say what would occupy the area it once inhabited or even if it inhabits an area at all. Most likely we wouldn't even notice since we are in such a small section of the universe.

I THINK that is what you were getting at.

[PEDRO12]

Originally Posted by gimmepie

Well as far as that goes we'll never be able to truly comprehend these things because we are too small and insignificant to view events at a large scale like that. If the entire universe were to shrink who's to say what would occupy the area it once inhabited or even if it inhabits an area at all. Most likely we wouldn't even notice since we are in such a small section of the universe.

I THINK that is what you were getting at.

Yes but what if the whole universe shrinks (Which it will according to the reverse-big bang theory), what will be outside the borders? ;o

[gimmepie]

We'll never know. It is beyond our capabilities to comprehend anything like that we can imagine all sorts of strange things but the truth is something we'll never be able to reach. Besides in the event of a "Big Crunch" we'll all be dead anyway so I wouldn't worry to much.

[Plumpyfoof]

It all depends on your philosophical stand point. But technically the glass is always full, half air, half wine..

And YOU are the centre of the Universe. ALWAYS.
Think about this, your head has been in EXACTLY the same position for your entire life. every time you turn your head you are rotating you body which rotates the earth and the Universe around you.
Every time you walk somewhere you are staying in the same position you're just rotating the Earth under your feet and because the Earth is so large it just looks like you're moving.

As for the Universe and borders; we have no idea what is beyond the cosmic background radiation at the furthest reaches of space. They may very well be hiding the end of the Universe.
On the other hand you may want to consider the Universe as a 4 dimensional object as opposed to the 3 dimensional space we perceive.
This would imply that every point in the Universe is connected to every other point in the Universe in the 4th Dimension. And so therefore you may decide to travel in a straight line trajectory to the ends of the Universe only to wind up back at Earth significantly sooner than you had initially anticipated.

EDIT:

Originally Posted by PEDRO12

Well more or less I don't mean in a physical sense. See think about it this way, if the world shrinks, what happened to the space it used to occupy? Is there just more empty space? Or did that space shrink with the world? If that space shrank, what is left in its place?
Mind = Blown

Are you talking about compression of the Earth or about the Earth spontaneously losing mass?
In either case you've got mass extinction on your hands.
Compression would result in the crust becoming super-heated from increased Geothermal energy and would vaporise all liquid water on the surface as well as magma spewing out of weak points in the crust.
But if Earth lost enough mass for it to be significantly measurable, the amount of energy that would be released would be so incredible it would be like a tiny supernova.
You know, because E^2 = (pc)^2 + (mc^2)^2

What would happen to the space though?
There is very very little pressure in space. So so little pressure. The relatively minuscule size of the Earth losing volume is not going to have much of an effect on the rest of Space. It's like dropping a needle in a haystack and then measuring how much the Earth moved because of it.

[Ice Car]

Isn't this just a phrase that is used to see if a person thinks positively, as in the glass being half full, or negatively, as in the glass being half empty? I wouldn't look too much into it...

[Rococo]

I don't give a crap if it's half-full or half-empty,my question is....are you gonna drink that?

[Plumpyfoof]

Originally Posted by Ice Car

Isn't this just a phrase that is used to see if a person thinks positively, as in the glass being half full, or negatively, as in the glass being half empty? I wouldn't look too much into it...

Yes exactly, but it's the philosophy that it inspires rather than the phrase itself that is this thread.

[PEDRO12]

Originally Posted by Ice Car

Isn't this just a phrase that is used to see if a person thinks positively, as in the glass being half full, or negatively, as in the glass being half empty? I wouldn't look too much into it...

I'm not referring to the expression, rather the philosophy as Plumpyfoof said.

[.Skylight.]

I have the tendency to say "half full," there has never been a time I said "half empty." Using the phrase "half empty" doesn't suit me and if I used it, it would bother me because it feels wrong if they makes sense. I'm generally a positive person.

[TornZero]

The optimist sees it half-full, while the pessimist sees it half-empty. The physicist, however, ducks.

I see it as a free drink, and I will make it empty.

[Laugh]

Originally Posted by PEDRO12

Is a cup half full the same as a cup half empty?

I'd have to say no. I'm not entirely sure why, but I think it has something to do with the cup.

Originally Posted by PEDRO12

Is it the same if you grow larger as it is if the entire world shrinks?

The world doesn't shrink.

Originally Posted by PEDRO12

Does the universe have a border? If so, what is there beyond that border? Nothing you say? Where does that nothing end?

There are many mysteries to be discovered. That's why I became a Pokemon professor. Life has many things that we don't know about, and the universe is one of them. But no I don't know if the universe has a border.

[gimmepie]

Originally Posted by Laugh

The world doesn't shrink.

Whilst not proven there is a leading apocalyptic theory called "The Big Crunch". It's the opposite to the Big Bang Theory (that could be a sequel o.O). It basically says the world will finish expanding and then collapse back on itself crushing everything back together into a single point. Just so you know.

I'm surprised that so many people have posted on this topic (no offence)... It is strangely fascinating isn't it?

[Plumpyfoof]

Originally Posted by gimmepie

Whilst not proven there is a leading apocalyptic theory called "The Big Crunch". It's the opposite to the Big Bang Theory (that could be a sequel o.O). It basically says the Universe will finish expanding and then collapse back on itself crushing everything back together into a single point. Just so you know.

I'm surprised that so many people have posted on this topic (no offence)... It is strangely fascinating isn't it?

Fix'd

But I think it be more plausible if the Universe continued to expand to such a degree that all the points looped back on themselves and finishing back as the singularity they originated from. 4th dimensional space has some weird outcomes.

[von Weltschmerz]

This entire thread is illogical. The cup is full the entire time. Halfway with liquid, halfway with air. It is very simple... Tch.

[Yoshikkko]

It's all a matter of perception. Something is only big if you are small in comparison. And something can only be half full if it is also half empty. Why is there a thread about this?

[Plumpyfoof]

Originally Posted by von Weltschmerz

This entire thread is illogical. The cup is full the entire time. Halfway with liquid, halfway with air. It is very simple... Tch.

This thread is philosophy not physics. We're talking about perception not facts, the way in which someone interprets the saying, not the glass itself.

Originally Posted by Yoshikkko

It's all a matter of perception. Something is only big if you are small in comparison. And something can only be half full if it is also half empty. Why is there a thread about this?

So that we can develop a better understanding of philosophical standings using specific examples.

This thread isn't just about the cup, or the shrinking of the Earth, we're discussing the implications of having both scenario's possible with a 100% chance of being either. You can discuss anything that intrigues you about the Universe and they way we perceive it in this thread.

[Juicy]

Is a cup half full the same as a cup half empty?

Yes... But that statement is only about your outlook on life. This question is foolish.

Is it the same if you grow larger as it is if the entire world shrinks?

Big and small are relative terms, so yes. Unless there was a way to measure something that remained the same within you and the universe (perhaps electrons, etc.?)

Does the universe have a border? If so, what is there beyond that border? Nothing you say?

The universe does indeed have a border, it is light moving away from the center of the universe (I am in NO way a pro on this and probably have it very wrong)... I can't go into depth but basically the 'end' of the universe is where the light happens to be. No light or matter can escape from that. It is simply impossible. IF there is anything out there then it is completely beyond our comprehension. It could be a whole new form of energy. We don't and probably we will never know.

Where does that nothing end? >_>

<Insert completely mind damaging answer here>

[My Pico]

Originally Posted by PEDRO12

Ah, here is something I've really thought about a bit and it confuses the crap out of me O.o

Is a cup half full the same as a cup half empty?
Is it the same if you grow larger as it is if the entire world shrinks?
Does the universe have a border? If so, what is there beyond that border? Nothing you say? Where does that nothing end? >_>
<Insert completely mind damaging question here>

I know this is a weird topic which is why I'm very intrigued to see what discussion will spawn :3 There are so many ways this can go so discuss GOGOGOGOGOGOGO :3

I don't really care 'bout that yo. As long as it's something I can drink the stuff out of that glass yo!

Have you tried growing larger yo? Smoking weed is really bad for our health yo and I recommend you not to try it yo.

China has great wall of China to prevent invaders from invading their women and lunch money and stuff yo. Universe has border so that aliens won't come and invade us yo!

[Yoshikkko]

Originally Posted by Plumpyfoof

So that we can develop a better understanding of philosophical standings using specific examples.

This thread isn't just about the cup, or the shrinking of the Earth, we're discussing the implications of having both scenario's possible with a 100% chance of being either. You can discuss anything that intrigues you about the Universe and they way we perceive it in this thread.

You're looking too much into it. And the OP is too. There is nothing 'phylosophical' about the cup thing. Develop a better understanding? There is nothing to understand about the cup being half full and half empty at the same time, it's just that the way you look at it would determine whether you're an optimist or a pessimist. It has nothing more to it so this is just ridiculous. You can philosophize over things that aren't clear and raise questions - that isn't this lmao, the answer to this is clear because it's both at the same time. Nothing to philosophize about.

[von Weltschmerz]

Originally Posted by Plumpyfoof

This thread is philosophy not physics. We're talking about perception not facts, the way in which someone interprets the saying, not the glass itself.

And I, my good sir, was also speaking philosophy. The glass is always full. Maybe not with what you want... but it still is there and you must certainly make the best of it. I believe that to be a far better observation than either of the two that have been so vainly presented to me.

[Livewire]

Either way, there's still stuff left in the cup. So if we assign the same kind of philosophical value to that, then wouldn't it be a positive either way? Better have some than none at all.