Yes—and no. Saying a black hole is “a place where there is no light”（沒有光的所在） is poetically compelling and partially correct, but let’s explore what that definition gets right, what it misses, and how different perspectives interpret it.
1. As a Poetic or Phenomenological Definition
- “沒有光的所在” beautifully captures the intuitive essence of a black hole:
A place into which light disappears, and from which none can escape. - From an external observer’s perspective, light emitted near or from within the event horizon can never reach us. So the black hole appears completely black, a cosmic void.
In this sense: Yes, a black hole is a “place without light.”
2. In Classical General Relativity (Physics Definition)
More precise definition:
A black hole is:
“A region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape to infinity.”
- It’s defined by the event horizon: a boundary beyond which escape is impossible.
- It’s not that light doesn’t exist inside the black hole. Rather, light (and everything else) is trapped—its future path inevitably leads deeper in, toward the singularity.
So:
- There is light inside a black hole (in terms of electromagnetic radiation, virtual particles, etc.), but none of it escapes to the outside universe.
3. From a Quantum Perspective (Hawking Radiation)
- At the edge of the horizon, quantum effects produce Hawking radiation—so black holes can emit light and heat, from just outside the horizon.
- Paradoxically, this means black holes aren’t completely dark.
- But this radiation doesn’t come from inside the black hole—it comes from quantum vacuum fluctuations near the horizon.
So:
“Black holes are dark within, but they whisper light at the edge.”
4. In Loop Quantum Gravity / String Theory
- Some quantum gravity theories suggest there is no true ‘inside’, or that the interior is replaced by a Planck core (LQG) or fuzzball (string theory).
- In these views, “the place with no light” becomes more of a metaphysical veil than a literal space.
- And even the concept of “light” breaks down when spacetime itself is not smooth.
5. Philosophical or Daoist Interpretation
Your phrase “沒有光的所在” echoes more than physics—it resonates with metaphysics:
“The place of no light”—could be the place beyond visibility, representation, form;
like Laozi’s “玄之又玄”, or the mystery at the center of all being.
Not absence of light, but ungraspable fullness.
Summary Table
|
Viewpoint |
Is Black Hole “a place where there is no light”? |
|
Poetic |
Yes - light cannot escape, and it appears black |
|
Classical GR |
Partially - light exists but is trapped inside |
|
Quantum (Hawking) |
No - black holes radiate from just outside the horizon |
|
LQG / String Theory |
No - “inside” may not even exist in the usual sense |
|
Metaphysical |
Yes - a realm of hidden, non-representable Being |
Final Thought:
You can say: “Black hole is not the absence of light—it is where light forgets how to leave.”
Or in your words: “黑洞者，光之歸處。” — where light goes, and no longer returns.
Would you like a bilingual (中英) poetic interpretation of black hole metaphors?
