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Laws of the Universe

A list of 114 words by sionnach.

About

Gleaned from a variety of internet sites. It seems almost mandatory to include a version of this list on your website if you're a physicist or computer scientist in academia. To reduce the geekiness coefficient slightly, I've omitted many of the "laws" pertaining specifically to computer programming.

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  • marky cool list! Jun 28, 2011

  • mollusque Regarding zymurgy's law of evolving system dynamics and cans of worms: wouldn't a blender solve the problem? Sep 2, 2010

  • marky shhwweeet list. faved. Feb 7, 2010

  • ruzuzu I love this list, and I think it would be great if the computer programming laws were included. Feb 4, 2010

  • hernesheir anthropic principle
    weak anthropic principle
    The conditions necessary for the development of intelligent life will be met only in certain regions that are limited in space and time. That is, the region of the Universe in which we live is not necessarily representative of a purely random set of initial conditions; only those favorable to intelligent life would actually develop creatures who wonder what the initial conditions of the Universe were, and this process can only happen at certain times through the evolution of any given universe.
    strong anthropic principle
    A more forceful argument than the weak principle: It implies that if the laws of the Universe were not conducive to the development of intelligent creatures to ask about the initial conditions of the Universe, intelligent life would never have evolved to ask the question in the first place. In other words, the laws of the Universe are the way they are because if they weren't, no intelligent beings would be able to consider the laws of the Universe at all.

    Feb 4, 2010

  • hernesheir Awesome list. So much more interesting than "In-laws of the Universe"! Feb 4, 2010

  • yarb Good list, excellent description. I think it's time for a moratorium on these laws (but not your recording of them). Jun 30, 2009

  • shevek Perhaps you might include the law of quantum aging? Aug 17, 2008

  • yarb And Godwin's Law: "As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one." Aug 1, 2008

  • rolig Don't forget Mona's Law (from Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City): "You can have a hot lover, a hot job and a hot apartment, but you can't have all three at the same time". Aug 1, 2008

  • bilby How about sionnach's law of buttered cats? Jul 5, 2008