Murphy’s law Proved

So someone said, some people have loads of time at their hands. An hour later, I realized that he was referring to me. Of course the truth is far from it. I am a terribly busy person interested in how nature works and all that nonsense which goes around. What I have here is a simple proof for one of the laws of nature – The Murphy’s law.

A bit of background:

The law is a very fundamental law of … I am not sure if it belongs to science. I guess it belongs to mathematics and has something to do with probability theory or as Douglas Adams would have said, something to do with improbability theory. The law has been around for ages just like the law of gravitation. People knew all that goes up comes down (except whatever sticks to the ceiling) but still couldn’t grasp gravity until Newton did it.

Similarly, Murphy’s Law was around for centuries. The simple statement of Murphy’s Law is “If there is something that can go wrong, then it will.”

Ramayan, Mahabharat have abundant examples of Murphy’s Law. Origin of life, which again according to Douglas Adams was a big mistake, can again be considered as an example of Murphy’s Law. To cut a long story short, Murphy’s Law has been around for ages until someone figured it out. (It wasn’t Murphy by the way)

Before I give a simple and elegant proof about the existence of Murphy’s Law, let me put some more statements of this fascinating law.

A slice of buttered bread, when dropped, will always land butter-side down.

Variant: The probability a slice of buttered bread falling butter-side down is directly proportional to the price of carpet.

The day you forget your umbrella, it pours with rain.

Corollary: Taking an umbrella to make it rain will cause a draught.

For every foolproof system you make, there would always exist a better fool.

Your printer will always jam the night before something important is due.

The wind will always blow in the direction of the non-smoker.

The line next to the one you are in will always be much quicker.

Variant: The other queue always moves faster.

Murphy’s Philosophy: “Smile…tomorrow will be worse.”

Murphy’s Constant: Matter will be damaged in direct proportion to its value.

Murphy’s law of thermodynamics: Things always go wrong under pressure.

So now that you know what is Murphy’s Law, here’s a piece of my brain. The proof for Murphy’s Law.

Statement 1: Every important law that exists obeys Murphy’s Law.

Statement 2: For every law to exist there is a need for an exception. (Exceptions prove the law)

Statement 3: Murphy’s Law never fails. (Things will always go wrong)

Statement 4: That means Murphy’s Law doesn’t obey Murphy’s Law and thus in an exception to itself.

So logically connecting Statement 1, 2, 3 and 4 we deduce that Murphy’s Law holds true and exists.

So next time when you publish an article and check for all the spellings thrice and yet manage to overlook a simple spelling, just remember that its nature at its best. Simle. J