“If you believe in science, like I do, you believe that there are certain laws that are always obeyed.”
- January 8, 1942 – March 14, 2018
- British
- Theoretical physicist, science writer
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Quote
“If you believe in science, like I do, you believe that there are certain laws that are always obeyed.”
Explanation
In this quote, Stephen Hawking is expressing his deep commitment to scientific principles, specifically the idea that the universe operates according to consistent and discoverable laws of nature. This belief reflects a fundamental aspect of the scientific method, which asserts that phenomena in the natural world follow predictable patterns governed by laws that are unchanging and universal. The most well-known of these laws include Newton’s laws of motion, the laws of thermodynamics, and Einstein’s theory of relativity, which all describe fundamental aspects of how the universe works.
Hawking’s statement also touches on the concept of determinism in science—the idea that the future behavior of physical systems can be predicted based on initial conditions and the laws that govern those systems. However, Hawking was also aware of the challenges to strict determinism, particularly in the realm of quantum mechanics, where randomness and uncertainty play a key role. Even so, his belief in the underlying order of nature was central to his scientific philosophy. In his work on black holes and cosmology, for instance, he posited that the universe operates according to deep, mathematical laws, even if they are not yet fully understood.
In modern times, the pursuit of these “laws” continues to drive scientific progress. From quantum field theory to the search for a unified theory of everything, scientists strive to understand the rules that govern everything from the smallest particles to the largest structures in the universe. This belief in universal laws is a hallmark of scientific inquiry, reinforcing the idea that the universe is not a chaotic or random system, but one that can, in principle, be understood through observation, experimentation, and reasoning.
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