Sagan’s Standard
Carl Sagan
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof.
Sattinger’s Law
Anon
It works better if you plug it in.
Spencer’s Law
Herbert Spencer
Every cause produces more than one effect.
Swift’s First Law
Jonathan Swift
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign that the dunces are all in confederacy against him.
The Copernican Principle
Nicolaus Copernicus
Earth and earthlings are not at the centre of the universe.
The Hawthorne Law
Anon
The simple act of studying the performance of workers or students will cause their productivity or test scores to improve.
The Matthew Effect
Anon
The Matthew Effect: The tendency in the scientific community to give all credit for discoveries to the senior members of a team, while giving short shrift to junior members for work that they have carried out and sometimes conceived.
Valéry’s Law
Paul Valéry
That which has always been accepted by everyone everywhere is almost certain to be false.
Wycherley’s Law
William Wycherley
Necessity is the mother of invention.
(Fred) Brooks’ Law
Frederick P. Brooks
Adding manpower to a late software project makes it later.
