I am in the beginning of time and space - What am I?

Question

I am in the beginning of time and space. I stand for nothing, but I mean a lot. I cannot be divided into parts. What am I?

computercarguy · Accepted Answer · 2020-01-22 22:45:36Z

29

I'd guess you are:

0 - zero

I am in the beginning of time and space.

Depending on your date/time format, you might have leading zeros on hours, minutes, and seconds. Some spacial coordinates and many distance counters use leading zeros. A simple example is the mileage counter on a vehicle. Geo-spacial coordinates for latitude and longitude on Earth often, but not always, include leading zeros.

I stand for nothing, but I mean a lot.

A zero literally means a lack of everything, but if you string zeros behind another number, it can mean quite a lot. Example: 0 and 100000000. Also, zero is essentially what all other numbers are compared against, so that gives it significant meaning.

I cannot be divided into parts.

Zero can't be divided, since nothing can't be subdivided into smaller parts of nothing.

answered Jan 22, 2020 at 22:45

computercarguy

6404 silver badges8 bronze badges

22

$\begingroup$ I can easily divide 0 dollar among 8 people. Everyone will get 0 dollar. Mathmatically zero can be divide without issues. $\endgroup$
– StefanJanssen
Commented Jan 23, 2020 at 10:27
2

$\begingroup$ @StefanJanssen I agree with this logic. $\endgroup$
– PuzzlingFerret
Commented Jan 23, 2020 at 12:56
3

$\begingroup$ @StefanJanssen, while that's true, everyone gets the same amount of 0 dollars, which is equal to the original number, so that's not dividing 0, it's still just zero. $\endgroup$
– computercarguy
Commented Jan 23, 2020 at 17:03
8

$\begingroup$ @StefanJanssen Is the 0 dollars you got from that division equal to 1/8th of the 0 that you started with? If not, you're not "dividing it into parts"; you're essentially showing that there are no parts to be divided. $\endgroup$
– JMac
Commented Jan 23, 2020 at 18:19
1

$\begingroup$ @Hoog You could say it's 1/8th of the original 0 dollars, but by that logic you could also say it's 100/8th's of the original 0 dollars; both are mathematically correct. It doesn't mean the nothing was divided into parts; it means that attempts to divide nothing into parts still leaves nothing; not a partial nothing. $\endgroup$
– JMac
Commented Jan 24, 2020 at 21:04

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Gareth McCaughan · Accepted Answer · 2020-01-22 22:02:19Z

31

Perhaps you are

a POINT.

I am in the beginning of time and space

Slight misunderstanding of the "big bang" here, but it's commonly thought of as starting with all the mass/energy of the universe compressed infinitely small, into a single point.

I stand for nothing

Perhaps thinking of a decimal point, which (unlike the digits nearby) doesn't itself contribute anything to the value of the number it helps to represent.

but I mean a lot

"Right, now let's get to the point."

I cannot be divided into parts.

This was even Euclid's definition of "point", back when he wrote the world's first geometry textbook.

answered Jan 22, 2020 at 22:02

Gareth McCaughan♦

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$\begingroup$ Equally valid answer, but not what I intended. $\endgroup$
– Dmitry Kamenetsky
Commented Jan 23, 2020 at 0:01
2

$\begingroup$ I was positive this was the right answer - exactly what went through my mind on first seeing this puzzle... $\endgroup$
– Stiv
Commented Jan 23, 2020 at 7:01
$\begingroup$ Not sure about the "contribute [...] value" bit...? $\endgroup$
– bornfromanegg
Commented Jan 23, 2020 at 8:41
5

$\begingroup$ Ahh, the old "Good answer but not what I was thinking" from OP. $\endgroup$
– user1717828
Commented Jan 23, 2020 at 11:42

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Thomas Markov · Accepted Answer · 2020-01-23 13:35:30Z

You are:

The God of Classical Theism

I stand for nothing

According to Classical Theism, God is impassible, that is, God has no passions. People stand for what they are passionate about. God has no passions.

I mean a lot

The significance of God is once again found in a particular doctrine of Classical Theism: Aseity. God is the first and self-sufficient being, needing no other, existing in and of himself.

I cannot be divided into parts:

This is the definition of another important facet of Classical Theism: Simplicity. God is simple, not a composite being. He cannot be divided into parts.

Ice76 · Accepted Answer · 2020-01-22 23:43:38Z

2

I believe you are

Dark Matter.

In the beginning of time and space

Dark matter is all there was and is at the outer edge of space. It was there at the start of time and space had yet to be formed.

I stand for nothing, but mean a lot

Dark matter does not have a stance in many things we interact with, but it means a lot to the reasoning of space and time

I cannot be divided into parts

It is already in its final form!

answered Jan 22, 2020 at 23:43

Ice76

1512 bronze badges

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CR241 · Accepted Answer · 2020-01-22 23:55:07Z

2

You are

ZERO (0)

In the beginning of time and space.

Everything starting point from Zero (0)

I stand for nothing, but I mean a lot.

Yes, If any number after zero less value and number after zero means a lot. example: 00000001 and 10000000

I cannot be divided into parts

ZERO can't be divide in to parts, because it means void or null.

answered Jan 22, 2020 at 23:55

CR241

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Community · Accepted Answer · 2020-06-17 08:22:35Z

1

What am I?

The emptiness of the universe.