Aristotle, Leopardi, Severino: the Endless Game of Nothingness

Abstract

As Aristotle knew all too well, not being is an equivocal concept. This indeterminate character of nothingness turns out to be the main enemy of the principle of non-contradiction, especially due to its affnity to «chimeras» and poetic metaphors (Leopardi's «things that are notthings»). There is an age old philosophical debate about nothingness, at times to defend the reasons for the eternity of being, at others to disprove them. In particular, the work of Emanuele Severino throws some light on the dispute between two giants of thought, Aristotle and Leopardi, with whom the neo-Parmenidean philosopher debated from an impartial position. The article provides food for thought in support of the indefinite and disturbing character - positive, yet apocalyptic -“ of nothingness. What emerges is the ability of not being to resist both the univocal idea of nihil absolutum, as well as to the closure of a game in which the destiny of beings and the very sense of time remain at stake.