Macau Light Rapid Transit and Nothing: Difference between pages

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A white background is usually associated with the concept of nothing

Nothing is a concept that describes the lack or absence of anything at all. Colloquially, the concept is often used to indicate the lack of anything relevant or significant, or to describe a particularly unimpressive thing, event, or object. It is contrasted with something and everything. In some Eastern philosophies, the concept of "nothingness" is characterized by an egoless state of being in which one fully realizes one's own small part in the cosmos.

Language and logic

Grammatically, the word "nothing" is an indefinite pronoun, which means that it refers to something. One might argue that "nothing" is a concept, and since concepts are things, the concept of "nothing" itself is a thing. This logical fallacy is neatly demonstrated by an old joke that contains a fallacy of four terms: if nothing is worse than the Devil, and nothing is greater than God, then the Devil must be greater than God:

The Devil is greater than nothing.
Nothing is greater than God.
The Devil is greater than God.

Clauses can often be restated to avoid the appearance that "nothing" possesses an attribute. For example, the sentence "There is nothing in the basement" can be restated as "There is not one thing in the basement". "Nothing is missing" can be restated as "everything is present". Conversely, many fallacious conclusions follow from treating "nothing" as a noun.

Modern logic made it possible to articulate these points coherently as intended, and many philosophers hold that the word "nothing" does not function as a noun, as there is no object that it refers to. There remain various opposing views, however—for example, that our understanding of the world rests essentially on noticing absences and lacks as well as presences, and that "nothing" and related words serve to indicate these.

Philosophy

The concept of "nothing" has been studied throughout history by philosophers and theologians; many^[who?] have found that careful consideration of the notion can easily lead to the logical fallacy of reification. However, many of the existentialist and postmodern philosophers and writers would argue that "nothing" is actually the lack or absence of something, rather than of anything.^{[citation needed]}

The understanding of 'nothing' varies widely between cultures, especially between Western and Eastern cultures and philosophical traditions. For instance, Shunyata (emptiness), unlike "nothingness", is considered to be a state of mind in some forms of Buddhism (see Nirvana, mu, and Bodhi). Achieving 'nothing' as a state of mind in this tradition allows one to be totally focused on a thought or activity at a level of intensity that they would not be able to achieve if they were consciously thinking. A classic example of this is an archer attempting to erase his mind and clear his thoughts in order to better focus on his shot. Existentialism and Martin Heidegger have brought these two understandings closer together.^{[citation needed]}

The Kyoto school handles the concept of nothingness as well.

Science

In mathematics, "nothing" does not have a technical meaning. The number zero is often used interchangeably with the term. It could also be said that a set contains "nothing" if and only if it is the empty set, in which case its cardinality (or size) is zero. In other words, the word "nothing" can be an informal term for an empty set.

In physics, the word nothing is not used in any technical sense either. A region of space is called a vacuum if it does not contain any matter, though it can contain physical fields. In fact, it is practically impossible to construct a region of space that contains no matter or fields, since gravity cannot be blocked and all objects at a non-zero temperature radiate electromagnetically. However, even if such a region existed, it would still not be referred to as "nothing", since it has properties and a measurable existence as part of the quantum-mechanical vacuum.

In computing, "nothing" (in VB.Net), or "null" (in Java, C#, and others), can be a keyword used to represent an unassigned variable, a pointer that does not point to any particular memory address, or a reference that does not refer to a specific object. Similarly, null is used in SQL as a symbolic representation of the absence of data. This meta-data usage of null is different from the unprintable ASCII and unicode null character, which has a numerical value of zero—although this is different from the ASCII character for zero ("0"). The ASCII blank character (" ") is not the same as an empty string (""), which is itself sometimes confused with the null pointer in languages such as C. Most forms of assembly language have a no-operation (NOP) instruction (often with a numerical value of zero)—that is, a command to do nothing, which can prove useful for blanking out areas of problem code.

References

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+{{unreferenced|date=July 2007}}
-{{future chinese public transportation}}
+{{otheruses1|"nothing" in the abstract sense}}
-{{Grammar}}
+{{redirect|Nothingness|the 1993 hard rock song|Nothingness (song)}}
+{{redirect|None}}
+[[Image:Blank.jpg|thumb|700px|A white background is usually associated with the concept of nothing]]
+'''Nothing''' is a concept that describes the lack or absence of anything at all. Colloquially, the concept is often used to indicate the lack of anything relevant or significant, or to describe a particularly unimpressive thing, event, or object. It is contrasted with [[Existential quantification|something]] and [[everything]]. In some [[Eastern philosophy|Eastern philosophies]], the concept of "nothingness" is characterized by an [[Egolessness|egoless]] state of being in which one fully realizes one's own small part in the cosmos.
+==Language and logic==
-{{Infobox Public transit
+Grammatically, the word "nothing" is an [[indefinite pronoun]], which means that it refers to something.  One might argue that "nothing" is a concept, and since concepts are things, the concept of "nothing" itself is a thing.  This logical [[fallacy]] is neatly demonstrated by an old joke that contains a [[fallacy of four terms]]: if nothing is worse than the [[Devil]], and nothing is greater than [[God]], then the Devil must be greater than God:
-|name =  Macau Light Rapid Transit System
-|image =
-|imagesize = 100px
-|locale =  [[Macau]]
-|transit_type =  [[Rapid transit]]
-|began_operation =  planning and assessment phase - completion by 2011
-|system_length =  28.8 [[Kilometre|km]]
-|lines =  3
-|stations =  23-27
-|ridership =  N/A |
-track_gauge = N/A - rubber wheels
-|operator =  TBD
-}}
+# The Devil is greater than nothing.
-[[Image:MacauLRTTempMap-eng.png|thumb|The planning network of the Macau Light Transit System]]
+# Nothing is greater than God.
-The '''Macau Light Transit System''' is a proposed mass transit system for the former [[Portugal|Portuguese]] [[Portuguese Empire|colony]] of [[Macau]] (now [[Special Administrative Region]] of the [[People's Republic of China]]). The LRT will serve the [[Macau Peninsula]], [[Taipa]] island, [[Cotai]] reclamation area and [[Macau International Airport]].
+# The Devil is greater than God.
+Clauses can often be restated to avoid the appearance that "nothing" possesses an attribute.  For example, the sentence "There is nothing in the basement" can be restated as "There is not one thing in the basement". "Nothing is missing" can be restated as "everything is present". Conversely, many fallacious conclusions follow from treating "nothing" as a noun.
-{{TOCleft}}
+Modern [[logic]] made it possible to articulate these points coherently as intended, and many philosophers hold that the word "nothing" does not function as a [[noun]], as there is no object that it refers to. There remain various opposing views, however&mdash;for example, that our understanding of the world rests essentially on noticing absences and lacks as well as presences, and that "nothing" and related words serve to indicate these.
-==History==
+==Philosophy==
-The Macau LRT was first proposed in 2003, but final go ahead was not given until a public announcement by the [[Government of Macau]] was made in October [[2006]]. The line will provide better transportation options between the mainland portion of Macau with Cotai and Taipa and release pressure on the roads and bridges to the islands. It will be Macau's first rail line and mass transit system.
+The concept of "nothing" has been studied throughout history by [[philosopher]]s and [[theologian]]s; many{{who}} have found that careful consideration of the notion can easily lead to the logical fallacy of [[reification (fallacy)|reification]].  However, many of the [[existentialist]] and [[postmodern]] philosophers and writers would argue that "nothing" is actually the lack or absence of something, rather than of anything.{{Fact|date=May 2007}}
+The understanding of 'nothing' varies widely between cultures, especially between Western and Eastern cultures and philosophical traditions. For instance, [[Shunyata]] (emptiness), unlike "nothingness", is considered to be a [[Philosophy of mind|state of mind]] in some forms of [[Buddhism]] (see [[Nirvana]], [[mu (negative)|mu]], and [[Bodhi]]). Achieving 'nothing' as a state of mind in this tradition allows one to be totally focused on a thought or activity at a level of intensity that they would not be able to achieve if they were [[consciousness|consciously]] thinking. A classic example of this is an archer attempting to erase his mind and clear his thoughts in order to better focus on his shot. Existentialism and [[Martin Heidegger]] have brought these two understandings closer together.{{Fact|date=May 2007}}
-==Technical Specifications==
+The [[Kyoto school]] handles the concept of nothingness as well.
-The proposed LRT system will be [[driverless]] and utilize a [[rubber-tyred metro|rubber-tyred]] system, similar to the [[Light Rapid Transit (Singapore)|Singapore Light Rapid Transit]]. The route will run along [[elevated]] guideways and underground tunnels, ensuring a dedicated right-of-way separated from road traffic.
+==Science==
-*Manufacturer : TBD
+In [[mathematics]], "nothing" does not have a technical meaning. The number [[zero]] is often used interchangeably with the term.  It could also be said that a [[Set (mathematics)|set]] contains "nothing" [[if and only if]] it is the [[empty set]], in which case its [[cardinality]] (or [[Dimension|size]]) is [[0 (number)|zero]]. In other words, the word "nothing" can be an informal term for an [[empty set]].
-*System operation : N/A
-*Gauge : Central guideway with rubber tyres
-*Maximum speed : N/A
-*Capacity : 400 (4 car set)
-*Unladen weight : N/A
-*Size : N/A
+In [[physics]], the word ''nothing'' is not used in any technical sense either. A region of space is called a [[vacuum]] if it does not contain any [[matter]], though it can contain physical [[field (physics)|fields]]. In fact, it is practically impossible to construct a region of space that contains no matter or fields, since [[gravitation|gravity]] cannot be blocked and all objects at a non-[[zero temperature]] radiate [[electromagnetic radiation|electromagnetically]]. However, even if such a region existed, it would still not be referred to as "nothing", since it has properties and a measurable existence as part of the [[Vacuum#Quantum-mechanical definition|quantum-mechanical vacuum]].
-==Construction==
+In [[computing]], "nothing" (in [[VB.Net]]), or "[[Null (computer programming)|null]]" (in [[Java]], [[C Sharp (programming language)|C#]], and others), can be a keyword used to represent an unassigned [[Variable#Computer_programming|variable]], a [[pointer (computing)|pointer]] that does not point to any particular [[memory address]], or a [[reference (computer science)|reference]] that does not refer to a specific [[Object (computer science)|object]]. Similarly, null is used in [[SQL]] as a symbolic representation of the absence of data. This [[meta-data]] usage of null is  different from the unprintable [[ASCII]] and [[unicode]] [[null character]], which has a numerical value of zero&mdash;although this is different from the ASCII character for zero ("0"). The ASCII [[Space (punctuation)|blank]] character (" ") is not the same as an empty [[String (computer science)|string]] (""), which is itself sometimes confused with the null pointer in languages such as [[C (programming language)|C]]. Most forms of [[assembly language]] have a no-operation ([[NOP]]) instruction (often with a numerical value of zero)&mdash;that is, a command to do nothing, which can prove useful for blanking out areas of problem code.
-The estimated cost for the first phase of construction (of 23 stations) will be [[Macanese pataca|MOP$]]4.2 billion (about [[United States dollar|USD$]]523 million). This portion of the project will be paid and financed by the Government of Macau as a part of their comprehensive public transportation project.
+==See also==
-Construction for the first phase of the project will take about 48 months to complete.
+{{col-begin}}
+{{col-2}}
+*[[Big Bang]]
+*[[Ex nihilo]]
-==Rolling Stock==
+*[[False vacuum]]
+*[[wiktionary:nada|Nada]]
-The LRT will use automated guided vehicles running on contract track. No manufacturer has been identified or selected as of yet.
+*[[Negation (linguistics)]]
+*[[Negative theology]]
-Based on the proposal, the cars will be arranged in a 4-[[Railroad car|car]]s set with passenger capacity of about 800 passengers. Peak ridership is predicted to be about at 8,800 passengers per hour per direction.
+{{col-2}}
+*[[Nihilism]]
-==Facilities==
+*[[No]]
+*[[Nobody]]
-TBD
+*[[Nothing comes from nothing]]
+*[[Nowhere]]
-==Lines==
+*[[Vacuous truth|Vacuous&nbsp;truth]]
+*[[Void]]
-The LRT network will consist of at least two phases:
+{{col-end}}
-*'''Phase I Line'''<br />The line will connect major entry-exit points at the Macao Peninsula and the Taipa Island, the distribution of residents and working population, the tourist demand. The line will utilize reserved space in the lower deck of the [[Ponte de Sai Van]] (Sai Van Bridge) to connect to theTaipa island.
-There will be 15 stations on Macau and 7 on Taipa.
-*'''Phase II Line'''<br />The line will connect the Barrier gate to A-Ma Temple passing through the inner harbour area, and eventually form a loop on the Macao peninsula.
-==Stations==
-The Macau LRT will have 23 to 27 stations along the three routes. No names or exact location of station other than the Border Gate station.
-==Fares and ticketing==
-No details on fare type and collection has been provided by the government. It will likely use smart card technology.
-==See also==
-* [[Transportation in Macau]]
+== Further reading ==
-==External links==
+*''[[Being and Nothingness]]'', [[Jean-Paul Sartre]]
-* [http://www1.appledaily.atnext.com/template/apple/art_main.cfm?iss_id=20061020&sec_id=4104&subsec_id=11867&art_id=6425253 Report about Macau Light Transit System by Apple Daily, 20th Oct, 2006.]
+*''Church Dogmatics'' III/3, pp. 389-368, [[Karl Barth]]
+*[http://www.pentapublishing.com In Search of a Cyclops], Fredrick Schermer
+*[http://www.nothing.com Nothing.com]
+*''Signifying Nothing: The Semiotics of Zero'', [[Brian Rotman]]
+*[http://www.southperth.wa.gov.au/media_releases/docs/2007/July/MR%20Speaking%20with%20Conf.pdf ''Speech - Something About nothing'']
+*''The Book of Nothing '', [[John D Barrow]]
+*[http://archive.salon.com/books/review/2001/01/26/cole/index.html ''The Hole in the Universe''], K.C. Kole
+*[http://www.maa.org/reviews/nothing.html ''The Nothing That Is''], [[Robert Kaplan]]
+*[http://www.users.cloud9.net/~cgseife/zero.html ''Zero''], [[Charles Seife]]
+*''[[Creative Evolution (book)|Creative Evolution]]'', [[Henri Bergson]], Chapter IV
+== References ==
-{{Rapid transit in the People's Republic of China}}
+{{reflist}}
-{{Transportation in the People's Republic of China}}
-[[Category:Transportation in Macau]]
+[[Category:Nothing| ]]
-[[Category:Light rail]]
+[[Category:Philosophical terminology]]
+[[Category:Perception]]
+[[Category:Ontology]]
+[[Category:Value]]
+[[ar:العدم]]
-[[ja:澳門軽軌鉄路]]
+[[cs:Absence]]
-[[no:Macau Light Transit System]]
+[[de:Nichts]]
-[[zh:澳門輕軌鐵路]]
+[[es:Nada]]
+[[eo:Nenio]]
+[[fr:Néant]]
+[[it:Nulla]]
+[[la:Nihil]]
+[[nl:Het Niets]]
+[[no:Ingenting]]
+[[pl:Niebyt]]
+[[pt:Nada]]
+[[ksh:Nüüß (wie jaanix)]]
+[[ru:Ничто]]
+[[sr:Ништа]]
+[[sv:Ingenting]]
+[[yi:גארנישט]]
+[[zh:無]]