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Murphy's
Laws
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MURPHY'S LAWS.
You can get ANYWHERE in ten minutes
if you go fast enough.
Speed bumps are of negligible effect when the vehicle exceeds triple
the desired restraining speed.
The vehicle in front of you is traveling slower than you are.
This lane ends in 500 feet. .
The simple but difficult arts of paying attention, copying accurately,
following an argument, detecting an ambiguity or a false inference,
testing guesses by summoning up contrary instances, organizing one's
time and one's thought for study -- all these arts -- cannot be
taught in the air but only through the difficulties of a defined
subject. They cannot be taught in one course or one year, but must
be acquired gradually in dozens of connections. |
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The
analogy to athletics must be pressed until all recognize that in the
exercise of Intellect those who lack the muscles, coordination, and
will power can claim no place at the training table, let alone on the
playing field.
It
is much harder to find a job than to keep one.
The world is more complicated than most of our theories make it out
to be.
Ignorance is no excuse.
Never decide to buy something while listening to the salesman.
Information which is true meets a great many different tests very well.
Most problems have either many answers or no answer. Only a few problems
have a single answer.
An answer may be wrong, right, both, or neither. Most answers are partly
right and partly wrong.
A chain of reasoning is no stronger than its weakest link.
A statement may be true independently of illogical reasoning.
Most general statements are false, including this one.
An exception TESTS a rule; it NEVER PROVES it.
The moment you have worked out an answer, start checking it -- it probably
isn't right.
If there is an opportunity to make a mistake, sooner or later the mistake
will be made.
Being sure mistakes will occur is a good frame of mind for catching
them.
Check the answer you have worked out once more -- before you tell it
to anybody.
Estimating a figure may be enough to catch an error.
Figures calculated in a rush are very hot; they should be allowed to
cool off a little before being used; thus we will have a reasonable
time to think about the figures and catch mistakes.
A great many problems do not have accurate answers, but do have approximate
answers, from which sensible decisions can be made.
All bicycles weigh 50 pounds:
A 30-pound bicycle needs a 20-pound lock and chain.
A 40-pound bicycle needs a 10-pound lock and chain.
A 50-pound bicycle needs no lock or chain.
When in doubt, mumble.
When in trouble, delegate.
When in charge, ponder.
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