If you mean “empty space” as in vacuum then I think it doesn’t contain any paperclips more or less by definition. If you mean “empty space” as in thermodynamic equilibrium at finite temperature then it contains some small amount of paperclips. I agree it might be possible to create a state which contains less paperclips for some limited period of time (before onset of thermodynamic equilibrium). However it’s probably much harder than the opposite (i.e. creating a state which contains much more paperclips than thermodynamic equilibrium).
If you mean “empty space” as in vacuum then I think it doesn’t contain any paperclips more or less by definition. If you mean “empty space” as in thermodynamic equilibrium at finite temperature then it contains some small amount of paperclips. I agree it might be possible to create a state which contains less paperclips for some limited period of time (before onset of thermodynamic equilibrium). However it’s probably much harder than the opposite (i.e. creating a state which contains much more paperclips than thermodynamic equilibrium).
It is not clear to me that the definition of the vacuum state (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_state) precludes the momentary creation of paperclips.