Physical law

A physical law or a law of nature is a scientific generalization based on empirical observations. Laws of nature are conclusions drawn from, or hypotheses confirmed by scientific experiments. The production of a summary description of nature in the form of such laws is the fundamental aim of science. Laws of nature are distinct from legal code and religious Law, and should not be confused with the concept of natural law.

Other fields

Some mathematical theorems and axioms are referred to as laws. Mathematical expressions are different from physical laws in that they do not have an explicit empirical basis.

Related Topics:
Mathematical - Theorem - Axiom

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Examples of other observed phenomena often described as laws include the Titius-Bode law of planetary positions, Zipf's law of linguistics, Moore's law of technological growth. Many of these laws fall within the scope of uncomfortable science. Other laws are pragmatic and observational, such as the law of unintended consequences. By analogy, principles in other fields of study are sometimes loosely referred to as "laws". These include Occam's razor as a principle of philosophy and the Pareto principle of economics.

Related Topics:
Titius-Bode law - Zipf's law - Moore's law - Uncomfortable science - Law of unintended consequences - Occam's razor - Philosophy - Pareto principle - Economics

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