This is part of a series of notes I'm taking as I learn Japanese. While learning you are constantly improving, but when you're experienced you forget what it was like to get there. I'm writing down those thoughts so fluent future me can know the idiot who created him.

I had been studying for 1 year and 4 months when I posted this.

I’ve seen もの translated as "thing". もの seems to be just も (include/extend particle) plus の (category particle) together. So, もの does vaguely mean "thing", but in a plural sense where the category is defined as the things being も'd.

For example, if you say「名をつけたもの」you’re saying「名をつけた」 (has been named) +「も」 (extend to all) +「の」 (category). So; the category made up of all the things with names.

Then, もの preceeded by nothing could be referring to all of 'everything’, with ‘everything’ being implied since nothing is specified. And you’re back to the general meaning of “thing” in English.