The Laws of Physics: Fundamentals or Variations?

[geordief]

are they fundamental (like the atom was considered to be)?
Or might they vary from one region to another??
Might there be an infinite amount of regions with an infinite amount of laws?
Does a similar possibility hold for universal constants?

 

[russ_watters]

As far as we can tell, they are universal.

 

[geordief]

would there ever be any conceivable way of finding out ? is that just a ridiculous question?

 

[russ_watters]

It's a fundamental principle of science that you can never do every possible experiment in every possible place at every possible time, so you can never know anything absolutely for sure. But you can know to 99.9999999999999999999999% (however many 9's you want) certainty and that'll just have to be close enough.

 

[pmacias]

The laws of physics are considered fundamental principles that govern the behavior of matter and energy in the universe. These laws are based on observations and experiments, and have been refined and expanded upon over centuries of scientific study. They are considered fundamental because they are universal and apply to all regions and scales of the universe.

While there may be variations in how these laws manifest in different conditions, such as extreme temperatures or gravitational fields, they still remain consistent and follow the same underlying principles. This is similar to how the atom was once considered to be the fundamental building block of matter, but we now know that it is made up of even smaller particles.

It is possible that there may be regions of the universe where the laws of physics may seem to vary due to different conditions or unknown factors. However, these variations would still be governed by the same fundamental principles and would not completely contradict the laws that we currently understand.

As for the possibility of an infinite amount of regions with an infinite amount of laws, this is purely speculative and not supported by any scientific evidence. The laws of physics are based on empirical evidence and are constantly being tested and refined, so it is unlikely that they would vary drastically from one region to another.

Similarly, the universal constants, such as the speed of light and the gravitational constant, are also considered fundamental and do not vary in different regions of the universe. These constants play a crucial role in the laws of physics and their consistency allows for predictable and consistent behavior of matter and energy.

In conclusion, while there may be variations or unknown factors that affect the manifestation of the laws of physics, they are still considered fundamental and universal principles that govern the behavior of the universe. The possibility of infinite regions with infinite laws or variations in universal constants is not supported by scientific evidence and goes against our current understanding of the laws of physics.