Murphy's Laws of Scientific Research

Werner von Braun's creed

Scientific research is what I do when I don't know what I am doing.

Gelman's dictum

Anything that is not prohibited is required.

Consequence

If there is no reason why something should not exist, then it must exist.

Thompson's theory

Any theory can be tailored to fit any fact by including additional assumptions.

Feynman's law

Science is a firm conviction in the ignorance of all specialists and experts.

The first rule of applied mathematics

Ninety-eight percent of all statistics are sucked from the thumb.

Gerrold's laws of dynamics

1. An object in motion will move in the wrong direction.

2. An object that is at rest will be in the wrong place.

3. The energy required to change any of these states will be more than what you would be willing to spend on it, but not so great as to make this task completely impossible.

Thomas Huxley's rule of progress

Every major advance in natural science has always meant a complete rejection of established authorities.

McPhee principle

Matter can neither be created nor destroyed ... however, it may well get lost.

Johannes Kepler's environmental law

Nature uses as little of everything she needs as possible.

Rationalistic fallacy

Everything happens for a reason.

Cheney's law

Entropy needs no maintenance.

Einstein on mathematics and science

1. All science is nothing more than a more refined form of everyday thinking.

2. Technological progress is like an ax in the hands of a pathological criminal.

3. If A means success in life, then A = x + y + g, where x is work, y is a game, z is the ability to keep his mouth shut.

4. To the extent that the laws of mathematics correspond to reality, they are not indisputable; and to the extent that these laws are indisputable, they are not true.

5. Two things are infinite: the Universe and human stupidity - and I have no confidence in the Universe.

Thornley's Law

What we imagine to be order is really just the predominant form of chaos.

Dyer's law of relativity

Life is short, but the three-hour movie is endless.

Werner von Braun's advice

I have learned to use the word "impossible" with the utmost discretion.

The first rule of environmental protection

Biological species begin to protect only after they bring their numbers to hopeless exhaustion.

The second rule of environmental protection

The most effective way to manage toxic waste is to re-classify the waste as non-toxic.

The third rule of environmental protection

Anything done to improve the state of the environment in one area will cause corresponding harm in another area.

Waldner's observations

A mathematician is a person who is ready to agree to any assumptions other than the assumption of their own responsibility.