Where Do the Laws of Nature Come From? 729
mlimber writes "The NYTimes science section has up an interesting article discussing the nature of scientific laws. It comes partly in reply to physicist Paul Davies, whose recent op-ed in same paper lit up the blogosphere and solicited flurry of reader responses to the editorial page. It asks, 'Are [laws of nature] merely fancy bookkeeping, a way of organizing facts about the world? Do they govern nature or just describe it? And does it matter that we don't know and that most scientists don't seem to know or care where they come from?' The current article proceeds to survey different views on the matter. The author seems to be poking fun at himself by quoting Richard Feynman's epigram, 'Philosophy of science is about as useful to scientists as ornithology is to birds.'"
Nomic is the answer. (Score:5, Funny)
Next question please.
Answer: (Score:0, Funny)
Yeesh (Score:5, Funny)
The laws of physics are clearly the result of a bureaucracy.
Well I've got my finger on it (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Alternate universes (Score:5, Funny)
i don't know, but i am certain of one thing: (Score:5, Funny)
Re:i think its clear (Score:1, Funny)
Science has not yet learned the use of "intent". If you intend to accomplish something and you are in balance with self then it will occur.
Example was Peter walking on the water with Jesus. When his mental mind told him it was impossible to walk on water then he began to sink.
My personal experience was walking on hot coals that were hot enough to melt an aluminum can. I walked for 40 feet through the oak coals and not a burn on my feet.
As a side note... the coals were so hot that you had to stand back about 6 feet or so to be comfortable... but when I began to walk I superseded the physical law of my feet getting burned.
Further use of intent is if you wanted to measure light as a particle then it would be a particle. If you wanted light to be a wave then it would be so.
These types of things work from an interdimensional energy that science has not yet grasped. Eventually they will from observation of things like firewalks or handling hot iron without being burned and understanding that intent is the power behind things occurring.
Where do the laws of nature come from? (Score:5, Funny)
Duh.
Re:Where do the laws of nature come from? (Score:3, Funny)
quickly now (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Pratchett's Law (Score:5, Funny)
On a more serius note. The laws of nature were written by God. After writing them he set about building a Universe to the specifications allowed by those laws.
Either that or he built a universe, made it work and these laws are just documenting how his code functions.
Re:i don't know, but i am certain of one thing: (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Alternate universes (Score:5, Funny)
Scientists Have No Roots? (Score:4, Funny)
I'm a scientist, and I come from Wisconsin. Who are these scientists who don't seem to know or care where they come from? They must be awfully odd people.
Futurama (Score:5, Funny)
-No, God created the world, that is why you exist, hence answering the question once and for all.
-But...
-ONCE AND FOR ALL!!!!
Obligatory question (Score:2, Funny)
"Where do the laws of nurture come from?"
MOD THIS GUY UP! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Incorrect definition of religious faith (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Pratchett's Law (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Alternate universes (Score:4, Funny)
Where do Laws of Nature come from? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Nomic is the answer. (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Alternate universes (Score:5, Funny)
No kidding - I looked up, and in the middle of the air, I saw the standard Windows cursor just sitting there. It was as though Whatever had just gotten up to go take a leak and left the cursor sitting there in the middle of the sky. Reality was falling apart. I was going crazy.
I thought, "Wait, what the fuck is that?", and then the seagull banked, showing that it was in fact a bird in the air, and reality was mostly intact.
It was a very bizarre moment.
Re:intelligent design isn't (Score:5, Funny)
You certainly weren't, since that's a tad over 1600 times the speed of light.
Re:Yeesh (Score:5, Funny)
Maybe if they took that danged cat out of the box, they'd have enough room...
Re:Nomic is the answer. (Score:3, Funny)
Re:probably impossible by definition (Score:3, Funny)
Try it. Try defining "correct" and "incorrect" without presupposing some rules of logic!
Also, 1 = 1 is not an axiom but an observable fact. The most obvious proof is that 1 - 1 = 0, that is, if I have an apple and I eat it, I now have zero apples. Would you deny this?
Re:Alternate universes (Score:4, Funny)
I think that there's something thinkable and impossible.
If I am right, there is.
If I am wrong, that same assertion is impossible but i thought it. So I am right. Have a nice day.
Re:Alternate universes (Score:2, Funny)