(November 30, 2009 at 6:59 am)Pope Alfred Wrote: Although I consider myself a strict rationalist, there is one universal quasi-religious belief which life has taught me to take seriously: Sod's Law, aka Murphy's Law: If anything can go wrong, it will.
The standard experiment to prove it is as follows - Drop a large number of slices of buttered toast onto an expensive carpet and an equal number onto a wipe-clean surface. Many more slices will land buttered-side down on the carpet, proving Sod's Law. If they don't, the experiment has failed, thus equally proving Sod's Law.
There are dozens of other formulations of this law; e.g. for electronics hobbyists: 'All component leads are 3mm too short.'
Do you believe in Sod's law, and what's your favourite version?
I have never herd Sod's law, but I have heard Murphy's law. Meaning that: If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong, as you have stated.
This is the only type of Murphy's law that I know of, if you think something will go wrong there is a possibility it will, but part of you think it won't go wrong, but by Murphy's law it will always go wrong.
Freedom is the ability to march to the beat of a different drummer without fear of retribution. Secularone
Ignorance is bliss but understanding is wonderful. Atheist forums.org
Ignorance is bliss but understanding is wonderful. Atheist forums.org
