Creation ex materia

Creation ex materia is the notion that the universe was formed out of pre-existing matter. This is in contrast to the notion of creatio ex nihilo, where the universe is created out of nothing. 

In the 5th century BC, Parmenides framed this principle as the philosophical dictum "nothing comes from nothing" (Greek: οὐδὲν ἐξ οὐδενός; Latin: ex nihilo nihil fit). It is associated with early Greek cosmology, such as is in the works of Homer and Hesiod.

An alternative to creation ex materia is creation ex deo, meaning creation from a God.

Category:Cosmology