Are "potential" and "possibility" real things?

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JamesATyler

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Would you consider the concepts of “potential” and “possibility” to be real things? For instance, before the big bang or creation of the universe could it be said that potential and possibility for the universe already existed? Must there be “potential” and “possibility” before the creation? Would it make sense to say that there was no possibility or potential for the universe until the universe came into being? If these things existed prior to the universe then doesn’t time also exist before the universe? If these things existed doesn’t it mean that something existed before the universe to provide them? We call that something God. But if there was truly nothing then how can there be potential or possibility? How do people who believe nothing existed explain that?
 
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No. They are concepts that only have meaning to creatures with limited knowledge.
 
As a noun, possibility is defined as a thing that may happen or be the case. So in my questions the universe would be that thing or case. Since the universe is here and it had a beginning, according to the scientists, then there had to be a point in time that the universe was a thing that may happen or be the case. Else this nothingness that is said to have existed or not existed could not pre-date the universe at all.

To be clear, nothing can (including nothingness) pre-date the universe if that is when time began.
 
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Possibility is not a thing. It is a concept. A concept that only has meaning to creatures with incomplete knowledge. An omniscient being would see with certainty what is or isn’t, and would have no use for possibility or probability.
 
Arguing that time began when the universe began is just another way of saying that the universe has always existed. Because there is no time before the universe in that scenario.
 
So how does one say the universe began if it always existed? Or do you claim there is a time before time?
 
That’s just an argument of semantics. Obviosuly the word “before” denotes time, but we’re simply using the word ‘before’ because we don’t have a way of truly grasping the consept with language.

God exists outside of time. Indeed, as time is merely a measurement of change, when there was only God there could be no time because God is immutable. There would be no changes to measure.
 
Eternity is a measure of time. Time is eternal. God created time and eternity and the universe. That’s what I believe.
 
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