The Laws of Thermodynamics

These are fundamentally four in number, and symbolize the summary and spirit of our experience in nature. In general with other basic laws of nature (example, Newton’s laws of motion), they can neither be derived nor proved. Though, no single illustration of disproof or defiance of any of the laws of thermodynamics has been recorded, and such laws are observed as among the most firmly establish of all the laws of nature.

That even few scientists feel ill at easiness with the grand generalizations of thermodynamics, and the embarrassingly elementary mathematical concepts apply during the discipline, is summarized briefly by Bridgeman:

“It should be admitted, I think, that the laws of thermodynamics have various feel from most of the other laws of physics. There is somewhat more palpably verbal about them – they smell more of their human beginning. The guiding motif is strange to most of the physics: viz., a capitalizing of the universal failure of human beings to build perpetual motion machines of either the first or the second type. Why must we expect nature to be fascinated either positively or negatively in the aim of human beings, specific purposes of such unblushingly economic suggestion?”