APAD: Nothing will come of nothing

"Nothing will come of nothing" means that if you don't put in any effort or take any action, you will not achieve anything; essentially, you cannot expect results without taking steps to produce them.

The idea aligns with the philosophical concept "ex nihilo nihil fit" (from nothing, nothing comes), which suggests that something cannot be created out of absolute nothingness.

This phrase is most commonly associated with Shakespeare's play "King Lear" where the character Lear says it to his daughter Cordelia when she refuses to excessively flatter him, implying that if she doesn't actively show her love, she will receive no benefits from him.

- source: dear Google with editing
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The phrase and the post by 蔣老師 here yesterday started me wondering:  Where did the first life on earth come from? Where did the earth come from? Where did our solar system come from? Where did our universe come from?  All from the Big Bang?  Hmm ...

Back to the Bard of Avon (== the great Shakespeare), I actually enjoy the *sounds* of his plays the most. He was so talented with the English language, his words sound like poems and songs that last long after him.

So please allow me to present a clip of "King Lear" (with cc 微笑) and you will see and hear "Nothing will come of nothing" near the beginning.  If you have more time, you might like to hear it the 2nd time with eyes closed.  Sounds wonderful!  Doesn't it? 加油

 

 

所有跟帖: 

Educational. I doubt the truth of the phrase coming from -7grizzly- 給 7grizzly 發送悄悄話 7grizzly 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 09:15:43

Lear, unwise and unfit to be king. -7grizzly- 給 7grizzly 發送悄悄話 7grizzly 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 09:16:55

ha, like "A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!" :-)) -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 09:41:12

然!反之,道生一,一生二,二生三,三生萬物。西島元宵快樂~~ -JoyAnna.- 給 JoyAnna. 發送悄悄話 JoyAnna. 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 10:06:53

Thx & same 2 U Joy! 不知為何最近老是”遇到“玄妙深奧的道教。“道生一”,道是誰?黑洞嗎? :-)) -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 10:15:02

道可道,非常道。我就瞎掰掰。嘻嘻 -JoyAnna.- 給 JoyAnna. 發送悄悄話 JoyAnna. 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 10:16:38

A similar phrase in engineering: Garbage in, garbage out. -矽穀居士- 給 矽穀居士 發送悄悄話 矽穀居士 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 10:12:41

Yes, junkIn junkOut. especially those with no selfValue @all -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 10:17:37

As I think, so shall I act. 居士兄,元宵快樂。 -JoyAnna.- 給 JoyAnna. 發送悄悄話 JoyAnna. 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 10:19:05

Thanks! Happy Lantern Festival! -矽穀居士- 給 矽穀居士 發送悄悄話 矽穀居士 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 10:32:30

Yes, although some gets paid for their garbage :-) -7grizzly- 給 7grizzly 發送悄悄話 7grizzly 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 10:27:33

"Educational and inspiring! Emptiness begets emptiness:-) -暖冬cool夏- 給 暖冬cool夏 發送悄悄話 暖冬cool夏 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 10:14:34

空即是有。暖冬元宵快樂 -JoyAnna.- 給 JoyAnna. 發送悄悄話 JoyAnna. 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 10:20:22

哈哈,下一句:有即是空 :-)) -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 10:25:50

Joy元宵節快樂! -暖冬cool夏- 給 暖冬cool夏 發送悄悄話 暖冬cool夏 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 14:27:30

A good 1, Thx暖冬!Moon can only reflect Sun as It has None -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 10:22:21

it's affirmative as well as negative -移花接木- 給 移花接木 發送悄悄話 移花接木 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 10:25:00

4Sure.life is a circle &everything depends on everythingElse -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 10:30:14

西島網友如果有興趣,可以了解一下 宇宙大爆炸 理論。:)Boom!Here we come.:) -蔣聞銘- 給 蔣聞銘 發送悄悄話 蔣聞銘 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 10:25:39

Yes, weAll cameFrom the BigBang! 我兒子在小學三年級寫過一篇作文很直觀地解釋了宇宙大爆炸 -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 10:34:00

方勵之先生是研究Big Bang 的專家。 -蔣聞銘- 給 蔣聞銘 發送悄悄話 蔣聞銘 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 11:55:55

知道。我們在Tucson有過四年公寓。UniOfA天文係很棒。可惜方先生走得太早了(可恨的valleyFever)! -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 12:12:50

您在圖桑呆過四年?我在這裏二十五年了。:) -蔣聞銘- 給 蔣聞銘 發送悄悄話 蔣聞銘 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 13:02:16

我和方先生,算半個同事。我在數學係,他在物理係,離得很近。 -蔣聞銘- 給 蔣聞銘 發送悄悄話 蔣聞銘 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 13:04:04

啊,您在那裏!! 是我兒子在UOA讀博,我們冬天過去避寒 :-)夏天太熱了!!!:-) -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 13:04:35

這個世界真是不大。:) -蔣聞銘- 給 蔣聞銘 發送悄悄話 蔣聞銘 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 13:11:33

Uh-oh, my bad 4 forgetting to say: 祝大家湯圓節愉快(附老歌兒《賣湯圓》在下 :-) -最西邊的島上- 給 最西邊的島上 發送悄悄話 最西邊的島上 的博客首頁 (194 bytes) () 02/12/2025 postreply 10:37:30

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