How can nothing cause something? The absence of something might seem to indicate a null or a
void an emptiness as ineffectual as a shadow. In fact 'nothing' is one of the most powerful
and effective ideas the human mind has ever conceived. This short and entertaining book is a
lively tour of the history and philosophy of nothing explaining how various thinkers
throughout history have conceived and grappled with the mysterious power of absence -- and how
these ideas about shadows gaps and holes have in turned played a positive role in the
development of some of humankind's most important ideas. Filled with anecdotes puzzles
curiosities and philosophical speculation the book is ordered chronologically starting with
the ancients and moving forward to the middle ages and the early modern period then up to the
existentialists and present day philosophy. The result is a diverting tour through the history
of human thought seen from a novel and unusual perspective.
