An Argument against the Nihilists

 Absolutely everything of which consciousness can be conscious must be real. This has to be true because illusions are always systems which comprise real objects, whether abstract or concrete. An abstract representation of something in the mind is just as real as is the outer object just as a picture of something is as real as is the outer object in the picture. These are just two different forms of reality.

Illusions never appear to consciousness. Illusions always hide behind real systems. All that is real is useful to consciousness. Illusions are always useless except as entertainment systems in fictional stories. A unicorn comprises two real objects to consciousness which are a combination of a horn and a horse, even if only imaginary. If a person imagines something that is real, then the imagination makes it real in abstraction. Abstract ideas and objects are just as real as are concrete objects. Unicorns are useful in fictional stories, but the illusion of the unicorn never appears to consciousness. The real representation of the combination of a horn and a horse appears to consciousness, but not the unicorn itself. A straight spoon may appear bent in a glass of water. But the "bent" in the spoon has to be a real, abstract object in the mind because that mind has observed real, bent outer objects. This real "bent" in the spoon covers up the optical illusion. The optical appears, but the illusion does not.

The nihilists contend that consciousness equals nothing and that all of reality is but an illusion. But consciousness cannot equal nothing because nothingness can only be a real idea in consciousness. The idea of nothing cannot exist without consciousness. Only consciousness can tell the difference between something and nothing. Without consciousness, no difference can exist between something and nothing.

The nihilists who contend that consciousness evaporates into nothing following physical death forget that consciousness is required for the idea of nothing to exist. What they really mean is that consciousness evaporates into an absolute nothingness; that is, a state of no difference whatsoever between something and nothing. This means that they must contend that an absolute nothingness can produce a consciousness which equals nothing which, in turn, produces an illusion of reality. This idea begs the question: From where did absolute nothingness obtain all that power?

The nihilists may counter with the argument that consciousness is the same as brain activity which evaporates following physical death. But if all that appears to brain activity can only be an illusion, then brain activity itself must be an illusion since brain activity is conscious of itself. This idea means that they advance the absurd argument that an illusion can produce other illusions.

A person in a coma possesses no consciousness of the difference between something and nothing except that the sub-conscious keeps the heart and lungs functioning.

If consciousness must be real, then all of the objects of consciousness must also be real. All of the contents of consciousness, whether abstract or concrete, provide creative ideas and objects that consciousness can use to create useful systems. Illusions never appear and are useless except as real entertainment systems. A unicorn can appear in fiction comprised of a real horn and a real horse, but the illusion of the unicorn never appears because it equals absolute nothingness; that is, no difference between something and nothing.

If absolute nothingness can produce only absolutely nothing, then an Absolute and Infinite Consciousness must exist Who creates an infinite reality. If the universe were without consciousness prior to the emergence of life in the false theory of evolution, then it would be the same as a dead person's body; that is, in a state of absolute nothingness that can tell no difference between something and nothing. Reality can only be infinite because a finite reality could only begin and end in absolute nothingness which is absurd. The universe could only be real prior to God's creation of life because God created it and observes it. Genesis 1:1.