In the Beginning was Information
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tists regard <strong>the</strong>se laws as being what <strong>the</strong>y are: Formulationsderived from our experiences, tested, tempered and confirmedthrough <strong>the</strong>oretical predictions and in new situations. Toge<strong>the</strong>rwith subsequent improvements, <strong>the</strong> formulations would only beaccepted as long as <strong>the</strong>y are suitable and useful for <strong>the</strong> systematisation,explanation and understanding of natural phenomena.”N2: The Laws of nature are universally valid. The <strong>the</strong>orem of<strong>the</strong> unity of nature is an important scientific law. This means that <strong>the</strong>validity of <strong>the</strong> laws of nature is not restricted to a certain limitedspace or time. Such a law is universally valid in <strong>the</strong> sense that itholds for an unlimited number of single cases. The infinitude of<strong>the</strong>se single cases can never be exhausted by our observations. Aclaim of universal validity for an indefinite number of cases canimmediately be rejected when one single counter example is found 5 .<strong>In</strong> our three-dimensional world <strong>the</strong> known laws of nature are universallyvalid, and this validity extends beyond <strong>the</strong> confines of <strong>the</strong>earth out through <strong>the</strong> entire physical universe, according to astronomicalfindings. When <strong>the</strong> first voyages to <strong>the</strong> moon wereplanned, it <strong>was</strong> logically assumed that <strong>the</strong> laws identified and for-5 Amendments to formulated laws of nature: An established natural law losesits universal validity when one single counter example is found. However, it isoften only necessary to change <strong>the</strong> formulation to describe <strong>the</strong> actual law moreprecisely. We should <strong>the</strong>refore distinguish between <strong>the</strong> actual law as it operatesin nature, and its formulation in human terms. More precise formulations do notinvalidate an “approximately formulated law”, but do provide a better descriptionof reality. <strong>In</strong> <strong>the</strong> following two cases <strong>the</strong> original formulations were too narrow,and had to be revised:28Example 1: The classical laws of mechanics lost <strong>the</strong>ir validity when appreciablefractions of <strong>the</strong> speed of light were involved. They were extended by <strong>the</strong> moreprecise special <strong>the</strong>ory of relativity, because <strong>the</strong> relativistic effects could not beobserved when velocities were small. The laws of classical mechanics area good enough approximation for general purposes (e.g. construction ofmachines), but, strictly speaking, <strong>the</strong>ir original formulations were incorrect.Example 2: The law of conservation of mass had to be reformulated to becomea general law of <strong>the</strong> conservation of mass and energy, when nuclear reactionswere involved (loss of mass, E = m x c 2 ). Never<strong>the</strong>less, <strong>the</strong> law of mass conservationis a potent law of nature.