117:
355:, supposedly around June 1949, Murphy's assistant wired the harness and the rocket sled was launched. The sensors provided a zero reading; however, it became apparent that they had been installed incorrectly, with some sensors wired backwards. It was at this point a frustrated Murphy made his pronouncement, despite being offered the time and chance to calibrate and test the sensor installation prior to the test proper, which he declined somewhat irritably, getting off on the wrong foot with the MX981 team. George E. Nichols, an engineer and quality assurance manager with the
360:
was condensed to "If it can happen, it will happen", and named for Murphy in mockery of what
Nichols perceived as arrogance on Murphy's part. Others, including Edward Murphy's surviving son Robert Murphy, deny Nichols' account, and claim that the phrase did originate with Edward Murphy. According to Robert Murphy's account, his father's statement was along the lines of "If there's more than one way to do a job, and one of those ways will result in disaster, then he will do it that way."
369:
attitude. One is sour, the other an affirmation of the predictable being surmountable, usually by sufficient planning and redundancy. Nichols believes Murphy was unwilling to take the responsibility for the device's initial failure (by itself a blip of no large significance) and is to be doubly damned for not allowing the MX981 team time to validate the sensor's operability and for trying to blame an underling in the embarrassing aftermath.
105:
268:
488:, asking impressions on a drawing) with said physicist: "As for himself he realized that this was the inexorable working of the second law of the thermodynamics which stated Murphy's law 'If anything can go wrong it will'. I always liked 'Murphy's law'. I was told that by an architect." ADS member Stephen Goranson, investigating this in 2008 and 2009, found that Anne Roe's papers, held in the
520:, so-called laws like Murphy's law and Sod's law are nonsense because they require inanimate objects to have desires of their own, or else to react according to one's own desires. Dawkins points out that a certain class of events may occur all the time, but are only noticed when they become a nuisance. He gives an example of
368:
under consideration; he then summarized the law and said that in general, it meant that it was important to consider all the possibilities (possible things that could go wrong) before doing a test and act to counter them. Thus Stapp's usage and Murphy's alleged usage are very different in outlook and
359:
who was present at the time, recalled in an interview that Murphy blamed the failure on his assistant after the failed test, saying, "If that guy has any way of making a mistake, he will." Nichols' account is that "Murphy's law" came about through conversation among the other members of the team; it
174:
wrote on June 23, 1866: "The first experiment already illustrates a truth of the theory, well confirmed by practice, what-ever can happen will happen if we make trials enough." In later publications "whatever can happen will happen" occasionally is termed "Murphy's law", which raises the possibility
186:
It is found that anything that can go wrong at sea generally does go wrong sooner or later, so it is not to be wondered that owners prefer the safe to the scientific … Sufficient stress can hardly be laid on the advantages of simplicity. The human factor cannot be safely neglected in planning
342:
strapped to a seat on the sled, but subsequent tests were performed by Stapp, at that time a USAF captain. During the tests, questions were raised about the accuracy of the instrumentation used to measure the g-forces
Captain Stapp was experiencing. Edward Murphy proposed using electronic
150:
itself had already long since been known. As quoted by
Richard Rhodes, Matthews said, "The familiar version of Murphy's law is not quite 50 years old, but the essential idea behind it has been around for centuries. The modern version of Murphy's Law has its roots in
302:
and aeronautical engineer. The phrase was coined in an adverse reaction to something Murphy said when his devices failed to perform and was eventually cast into its present form prior to a press conference some months later – the first ever (of many) given by
410:
series, prints a letter that he received from
Nichols, who recalled an event that occurred in 1949 at Edwards Air Force Base that, according to him, is the origination of Murphy's law, and first publicly recounted by Stapp. An excerpt from the letter reads:
558:(the law of entropy) because both are predicting a tendency to a more disorganized state. Atanu Chatterjee investigated this idea by formally stating Murphy's law in mathematical terms and found that Murphy's law so stated could be disproved using the
574:. Before long, variations of the law applied to different topics and subjects had passed into the public imagination, changing over time. Arthur Bloch compiled a number of books of corollaries to Murphy's law and variations thereof, the first being
440:
The association with the Muroc incident is by no means secure. Despite extensive research, no trace of documentation of the saying as "Murphy's law" has been found before 1951. The next citations are not found until 1955, when the May–June issue of
973:"Holt, Alfred. 'Review of the Progress of Steam Shipping during the last Quarter of a Century', Minutes of Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Vol. LI, Session 1877–78 – Part I, at 2, 8 (November 13, 1877 session, published 1878)"
363:
The phrase first received public attention during a press conference in which Stapp was asked how it was that nobody had been severely injured during the rocket sled tests. Stapp replied that it was because they always took
163:, but only because his original thought was modified subsequently into the now established form that is not exactly what he himself had said. Research into the origin of Murphy's law has been conducted by members of the
347:
attached to the restraining clamps of Stapp's harness to measure the force exerted on them by his rapid deceleration. Murphy was engaged in supporting similar research using high speed centrifuges to generate g-forces.
244:, to describe "seemingly spiteful behavior manifested by inanimate objects", where objects that cause problems (like lost keys or a runaway bouncy ball) are said to exhibit a high degree of malice toward humans.
430:
caused him to remark – "If there is any way to do it wrong, he will" – referring to the technician who had wired the bridges at the Lab. I assigned Murphy's law to the statement and the associated
500:
archives include a letter in which
Robertson offers Roe an interview within the first three months of 1949, making this apparently predate the Muroc incident said to have occurred in or after June 1949.
601:
that often do not share a relation to the original law or Edward Murphy himself, but still posit him as a relevant expert in the law's subject. Examples of these "Murphy's laws" include those for
66:. Murphy's original quote was the precautionary design advice that "If there are two or more ways to do something and one of those results in a catastrophe, then someone will do it that way."
215:
go wrong. Whether we must attribute this to the malignity of matter or to the total depravity of inanimate things, whether the exciting cause is hurry, worry, or what not, the fact remains.
44:
that is typically stated as: "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." In some formulations, it is extended to "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible time."
846:
449:, referred to: "Colonel Stapp's favorite takeoff on sober scientific laws—Murphy's law, Stapp calls it—'Everything that can possibly go wrong will go wrong'." In 1962, the
1822:
1817:
1295:
997:
207:
It is an experience common to all men to find that, on any special occasion, such as the production of a magical effect for the first time in public, everything that
972:
947:
480:
he described as "Murphy's law or the fourth law of thermodynamics" (actually there were only three last I heard) which states: "If anything can go wrong, it will."
584:
is an optimistic reversal of Murphy's law, stating that "anything that can go right will go right". Its name directly references this, being "Murphy" in reverse.
524:
interfering with filming: there are always aircraft in the sky at any given time, but they are only taken note of when they cause a problem. This is a form of
1221:
1192:
1853:
400:
on
February 12, 1955, saying "I hope it will be known as Strauss' law. It could be stated about like this: If anything bad can happen, it probably will."
219:
In astronomy, "Spode's Law" refers to the phenomenon that the skies are always cloudy at the wrong moment; the law was popularized by amateur astronomer
1858:
1160:
1083:
822:
1889:
81:
of the law. Since then, Murphy's law has remained a popular (and occasionally misused) adage, though its accuracy has been disputed by academics.
594:"Mrs. Murphy's law" is a corollary of Murphy's law, which states that "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong while Mr. Murphy is out of town."
1064:
445:
included the line "Murphy's law: If an aircraft part can be installed incorrectly, someone will install it that way", and Lloyd Mallan's book
1537:
47:
Though similar statements and concepts have been made over the course of history, the law itself was coined by, and is named after, American
591:
formulated "Drucker's law" in dealing with complexity of management: "If one thing goes wrong, everything else will, and at the same time."
528:, whereby the investigator seeks out evidence to confirm their already-formed ideas, but does not look for evidence that contradicts them.
508:
in 2003 in engineering " for (probably) giving birth to the name". Murphy's Law was also the theme of 2024 Ig Nobel Prize ceremony.
1672:
1844:
1658:
Klipstein, D. L. (August 1967). "The
Contributions of Edsel Murphy to the Understanding of the Behaviour of Inanimate Objects".
951:
387:
1882:
1648:
1626:
1142:
54:; its exact origins are debated, but it is generally agreed it originated from Murphy and his team following a mishap during
1827:
1434:
1303:
1005:
976:
554:
from early on (see the quotation from Anne Roe's book above). In particular, Murphy's law is often cited as a form of the
282:(pictured circa the late 1940s or early 1950s). Murphy's law most likely originated during similar tests in 1948 and 1949.
286:
Differing recollections years later by various participants make it impossible to pinpoint who first coined the saying
187:
machinery. If attention is to be obtained, the engine must be such that the engineer will be disposed to attend to it.
1412:
1261:
918:
382:
referred to "Reilly's law", which states that "in any scientific or engineering endeavor, anything that can go wrong
1719:
132:
has long been a subject of comment, and precursors to the modern version of Murphy's law are abundant. According to
1875:
20:
1229:
1200:
378:
259:
described the same principle, "Anything that can possibly go wrong, does", as an "ancient mountaineering adage".
178:
ADS member
Stephen Goranson found a version of the law, not yet generalized or bearing that name, in a report by
1804:
1786:
489:
227:
496:, identified the interviewed physicist as Howard Percy "Bob" Robertson (1903–1961). Robertson's papers at the
2024:
570:
From its initial public announcement, Murphy's law quickly spread to various technical cultures connected to
416:
1157:
2004:
748:
555:
155:
studies performed in 1949 on the effects of rapid deceleration on pilots." Matthews goes on to explain how
1278:
871:
823:"Edward A. Murphy, Jr. Quotes - 2 Science Quotes - Dictionary of Science Quotations and Scientist Quotes"
133:
1179:
2064:
768: – Concept in risk management to consider the most severe outcome that can reasonably be projected
547:
will ensure that those ones are remembered and the many times Murphy's law was not true are forgotten.
540:
485:
200:
121:
58:
tests some time between 1948 and 1949, and was finalized and first popularized by testing project head
116:
1949:
692:
635:
559:
532:
356:
521:
164:
1545:
2034:
1898:
759:
730:
680:
536:
468:
295:
2059:
698:
674:
551:
319:
543:
should lead one to expect the kind of events predicted by Murphy's law to occur occasionally.
318:
From 1948 to 1949, Stapp headed research project MX981 at Muroc Army Air Field (later renamed
290:. The law's name supposedly stems from an attempt to use new measurement devices developed by
2009:
1636:
911:
Visions of technology: a century of vital debate about machines, systems, and the human world
571:
396:
1979:
1747:
1684:
883:
704:
291:
279:
156:
124:
wrote in 1908 that, during special occasions, "everything that can go wrong will go wrong".
51:
8:
1954:
1919:
1779:
The
Improbability Principle: Why Coincidences, Miracles, and Rare Events Happen Every Day
765:
668:
138:
1751:
1688:
1566:
887:
2039:
2019:
2014:
1763:
1737:
1700:
1088:
718:
454:
171:
109:
48:
1841:
895:
2029:
1959:
1929:
1800:
1782:
1704:
1696:
1644:
1622:
1444:
1408:
1257:
1138:
914:
677: – Quantum mechanics principle stating: "Everything not forbidden is compulsory"
656:
525:
1767:
2095:
2054:
1964:
1924:
1755:
1692:
1361:
891:
647:
641:
602:
504:
John Paul Stapp, Edward A. Murphy, Jr., and George
Nichols were jointly awarded an
339:
89:
63:
2085:
1969:
1909:
1848:
1792:
1164:
1132:
771:
712:
614:
581:
517:
463:
232:
93:
69:
The law entered wider public knowledge in the late 1970s with the publication of
27:
774:– The opposite of Murphy's law, stating anything that can go right will go right
1999:
1984:
1914:
1715:
736:
662:
610:
598:
544:
505:
427:
331:
312:
248:
152:
550:
There have been persistent references to Murphy's law associating it with the
2090:
2079:
1590:
1128:
1069:
588:
457:
450:
391:
220:
1836:
1974:
1934:
753:
742:
493:
403:
344:
112:(pictured circa 1860) wrote in 1866 that "whatever can happen will happen".
85:
70:
1867:
472:, has shown that in 1952 the adage was called "Murphy's law" in a book by
2049:
2044:
1944:
1831:
1439:
644:– Practice of planning for contingencies in the design stage of a project
424:
275:
196:
179:
55:
535:, emeritus professor of mathematics and senior research investigator at
1939:
1759:
606:
420:
373:
352:
304:
271:
59:
16:
Adage typically stated as: "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong"
1728:
Chatterjee, Atanu (2016). "Is the statement of Murphy's Law valid?".
1336:
724:
330:
during rapid deceleration. The tests used a rocket sled mounted on a
256:
104:
78:
415:
The law's namesake was Capt. Ed Murphy, a development engineer from
267:
1742:
622:
618:
484:
In May 1951, Anne Roe gave a transcript of an interview (part of a
473:
192:
129:
597:
The term is sometimes used to describe concise, ironic, humorous
497:
327:
308:
299:
41:
191:
ADS member Bill Mullins found a slightly broader version of the
1994:
372:
The name "Murphy's law" was not immediately secure. A story by
160:
689: – Curse attracting bad luck in superstition and folklore
745: – Slang phrase used as a simple existential observation
335:
323:
37:
1673:"Tumbling toast, Murphy's Law and the Fundamental Constants"
686:
721: – Adage that work expands to fill its available time
671: – Self-referential adage referring to time estimates
975:. Listserv.linguistlist.org. 2007-10-10. Archived from
423:
which was malfunctioning due to an error in wiring the
1055:
Paul Hellwig, Insomniac's Dictionary (Ivy Books, 1989)
739: – Adage about conflicting sources of information
565:
1105:
epigraph (1952), reprinted in Shapiro, Fred R., ed.,
1797:
The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True
1405:
The Entropy Vector: Connecting Science and Business
1254:
Murphy's Law, and Other Reasons Why Things Go WRONG
576:
Murphy's Law, and Other Reasons Why Things Go WRONG
408:
Murphy's Law, and Other Reasons Why Things Go WRONG
175:that "Murphy" is simply "De Morgan" misremembered.
75:
Murphy's Law, and Other Reasons Why Things Go WRONG
1466:Management, Tasks, Responsibilities, and Practices
1256:, Los Angeles: Price/Stern/Sloan Publishers, Inc.
695: – Adage about the cursedness of the universe
652:Pages displaying short descriptions with no spaces
578:, which received several follow-ups and reprints.
1727:
2077:
1657:
1523:Ann Landers (May 9, 1978), "Mrs. Murphy's Law",
1492:
1043:A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English
511:
1670:
709: – American animated TV series (2016-2019)
701: – Adages and sayings named after a person
1040:
1030:. Cambridge University Press. pp. 35, 74.
683: – Counterintuitive result in probability
182:at an 1877 meeting of an engineering society.
1883:
1616:
1272:
1270:
1025:
659: – Adage to assume stupidity over malice
1635:
1507:
1477:
1180:Rogers Dry Lake – National Historic Landmark
863:
1897:
1823:1955 term citation of phrase "Murphy's law"
1709:Why toasted bread lands buttered-side-down.
1522:
146:"Murphy's law" originated in 1949, but the
1890:
1876:
1267:
902:
351:During a trial run of this method using a
338:at the end. Initial tests used a humanoid
262:
1854:Reference to 1941 citation of the proverb
1741:
1403:Robert D. Handscombe, Eann A. Patterson,
1362:"The 34th First Annual Ig Nobel Ceremony"
1041:Eric Partridge (1984). Paul Beale (ed.).
933:"Supplement to the Budget of Paradoxes",
638:– Idiom representing pessimistic outlooks
1123:
1121:
1119:
1117:
1115:
869:
762: – Unforeseen outcomes of an action
266:
115:
103:
1863:tracks down the origins of Murphy's law
1772:Is the statement of Murphy's Law valid?
998:"Maskelyne, Nevil. 'The Art In Magic',
2078:
1290:
1288:
913:. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.
908:
77:, which included other variations and
1871:
1248:
1246:
1127:
1112:
715: – Adage related to Murphy's Law
1591:"Murphy's Laws of Combat Operations"
870:Matthews, Robert A.J. (April 1997).
406:, in the first volume (1977) of his
1718:for physics in 1996 for this work (
1285:
1103:The Butcher: The Ascent of Yerupaja
566:Variations (corollaries) of the law
435:
253:The Butcher: The Ascent of Yerupaja
13:
1495:Mysteries of life and the universe
1243:
14:
2107:
1811:
1643:. Arrow Books. pp. 128–137.
896:10.1038/scientificamerican0497-88
665: – Type of confirmation bias
322:) for the purpose of testing the
1407:, p134, World Scientific, 2004,
733: – Risk management strategy
727: – Negative mental attitude
476:, quoting an unnamed physicist:
128:The perceived perversity of the
1610:
1583:
1559:
1530:
1516:
1501:
1486:
1471:
1458:
1427:
1418:
1397:
1388:
1379:
1354:
1329:
1317:
1302:. Linguist List. Archived from
1228:. Linguist List. Archived from
1214:
1199:. Linguist List. Archived from
1185:
1173:
1151:
1095:
1076:
1058:
1049:
1034:
1019:
1004:. Linguist List. Archived from
950:. Linguist List. Archived from
247:In 1952, as an epigraph to the
1252:Bloch, Arthur (1980 edition).
990:
965:
940:
927:
839:
815:
785:
490:American Philosophical Society
376:in the February 1955 issue of
1:
2025:Rebound effect (conservation)
1861:Annals of Improbable Research
1324:Genetic Psychology Monographs
872:"The Science of Murphy's Law"
809:
756: – British culture axiom
512:Academic and scientific views
199:. The British stage magician
21:Murphy's law (disambiguation)
2005:Parable of the broken window
797:fourth law of thermodynamics
791:Also less commonly known as
556:second law of thermodynamics
7:
1677:European Journal of Physics
1279:The Yale Book of Quotations
1107:The Yale Book of Quotations
1065:"Report on Resistentialism"
628:
453:attributed Murphy's law to
447:Men, Rockets and Space Rats
443:Aviation Mechanics Bulletin
419:. Frustration with a strap
334:with a series of hydraulic
10:
2112:
2065:Tyranny of small decisions
1697:10.1088/0143-0807/16/4/005
1226:, February 12, 1955, p. 5"
1195:Astounding Science-Fiction
541:law of truly large numbers
486:thematic apperception test
379:Astounding Science Fiction
223:but dates from the 1930s.
99:
25:
18:
1950:Excess burden of taxation
1905:
1619:A History of Murphy's Law
1493:William H. Shore (1994),
1298:The Making of a Scientist
1158:The Fastest Man on Earth
1134:A History of Murphy's Law
693:Laws of infernal dynamics
636:Buttered toast phenomenon
560:principle of least action
417:Wright Field Aircraft Lab
357:Jet Propulsion Laboratory
1671:Matthews, R A J (1995).
1639:(1981). "Murphy's law".
1182:at National Park Service
909:Rhodes, Richard (1999).
847:"Dr Karl - Murphy's Law"
779:
522:aircraft noise pollution
388:Atomic Energy Commission
165:American Dialect Society
26:Not to be confused with
2035:Self-defeating prophecy
1899:Unintended consequences
1777:David J. Hand ( 2014).
1276:Shapiro, Fred R., ed.,
1197:, February 1955, p. 54"
937:no. 2017 p. 836 col. 2
760:Unintended consequences
731:Precautionary principle
681:Infinite monkey theorem
537:Imperial College London
469:Yale Book of Quotations
296:United States Air Force
263:Association with Murphy
120:British stage magician
84:Similar "laws" include
2060:Tragedy of the commons
1837:Murphy's Law of Combat
1799:, Simon and Schuster,
1714:Matthews received the
1617:Nick T. Spark (2006).
1028:The Amateur Astronomer
1026:Patrick Moore (1957).
799:, and historically as
699:List of eponymous laws
675:Totalitarian principle
587:Management consultant
552:laws of thermodynamics
539:, points out that the
482:
433:
320:Edwards Air Force Base
283:
217:
189:
125:
113:
108:British mathematician
2010:Paradox of enrichment
1842:Murphy's Law's Origin
1818:1952 proverb citation
1508:Harold Faber (1979),
1478:Arthur Bloch (1998),
1224:Chicago Daily Tribune
572:aerospace engineering
478:
413:
397:Chicago Daily Tribune
270:
205:
184:
136:in a 1997 article in
134:Robert A. J. Matthews
119:
107:
1980:Inverse consequences
1385:Dawkins, pp. 220-222
466:, the editor of the
280:Muroc Army Air Field
236:, a jocular play on
157:Edward A. Murphy Jr.
52:Edward A. Murphy Jr.
19:For other uses, see
1955:Four Pests campaign
1752:2016Cmplx..21f.374C
1689:1995EJPh...16..172M
1525:The Washington Post
1300:46–47 (1952, 1953)"
1169:Improbable Research
1137:. Lulu Press, Inc.
1084:Thingness of Things
1002:, June 1908, p. 25"
888:1997SciAm.276d..88M
876:Scientific American
766:Worst-case scenario
139:Scientific American
2040:Self-refuting idea
2020:Perverse incentive
1847:2012-03-10 at the
1828:Murphy's law entry
1760:10.1002/cplx.21697
1641:The Official Rules
1621:. Periscope Film.
1464:Drucker, Peter F.
1163:2009-10-14 at the
1089:The New York Times
1000:The Magic Circular
455:United States Navy
394:was quoted in the
284:
226:In 1948, humorist
172:Augustus De Morgan
126:
114:
110:Augustus De Morgan
49:aerospace engineer
2073:
2072:
2030:Risk compensation
1650:978-0-09-926490-3
1628:978-0-9786388-9-4
1480:Murphy's Law 2000
1394:Hand, pp. 197-198
1337:"Past Ig Winners"
1326:volume 43, p. 204
1144:978-1-935700-79-1
979:on March 12, 2008
706:Milo Murphy's Law
526:confirmation bias
2103:
2055:Streisand effect
1965:Hawthorne effect
1925:Butterfly effect
1920:Braess's paradox
1892:
1885:
1878:
1869:
1868:
1774:
1745:
1711:
1667:
1654:
1632:
1605:
1604:
1602:
1601:
1587:
1581:
1580:
1578:
1577:
1563:
1557:
1556:
1554:
1553:
1544:. Archived from
1538:"Cheap Thoughts"
1534:
1528:
1527:
1520:
1514:
1513:
1510:The Book of laws
1505:
1499:
1498:
1490:
1484:
1483:
1475:
1469:
1462:
1456:
1455:
1453:
1452:
1443:. Archived from
1431:
1425:
1424:Chatterjee, p. 1
1422:
1416:
1401:
1395:
1392:
1386:
1383:
1377:
1376:
1374:
1373:
1358:
1352:
1351:
1349:
1348:
1333:
1327:
1321:
1315:
1314:
1312:
1311:
1292:
1283:
1274:
1265:
1250:
1241:
1240:
1238:
1237:
1232:on June 21, 2008
1218:
1212:
1211:
1209:
1208:
1189:
1183:
1177:
1171:
1155:
1149:
1148:
1125:
1110:
1099:
1093:
1080:
1074:
1062:
1056:
1053:
1047:
1046:
1038:
1032:
1031:
1023:
1017:
1016:
1014:
1013:
994:
988:
987:
985:
984:
969:
963:
962:
960:
959:
944:
938:
931:
925:
924:
906:
900:
899:
867:
861:
860:
858:
857:
843:
837:
836:
834:
833:
819:
804:
789:
669:Hofstadter's law
653:
642:Defensive design
615:social relations
603:military tactics
436:Disputed origins
340:crash test dummy
292:Edward A. Murphy
230:coined the term
195:in reference to
96:, among others.
64:press conference
2111:
2110:
2106:
2105:
2104:
2102:
2101:
2100:
2076:
2075:
2074:
2069:
2015:Parkinson's law
1910:Abilene paradox
1901:
1896:
1849:Wayback Machine
1814:
1793:Richard Dawkins
1651:
1629:
1613:
1608:
1599:
1597:
1589:
1588:
1584:
1575:
1573:
1567:"Murphy's laws"
1565:
1564:
1560:
1551:
1549:
1536:
1535:
1531:
1521:
1517:
1506:
1502:
1491:
1487:
1476:
1472:
1463:
1459:
1450:
1448:
1433:
1432:
1428:
1423:
1419:
1402:
1398:
1393:
1389:
1384:
1380:
1371:
1369:
1360:
1359:
1355:
1346:
1344:
1335:
1334:
1330:
1322:
1318:
1309:
1307:
1294:
1293:
1286:
1275:
1268:
1251:
1244:
1235:
1233:
1220:
1219:
1215:
1206:
1204:
1191:
1190:
1186:
1178:
1174:
1165:Wayback Machine
1156:
1152:
1145:
1126:
1113:
1100:
1096:
1081:
1077:
1073:, 23 April 1948
1063:
1059:
1054:
1050:
1045:. p. 1129.
1039:
1035:
1024:
1020:
1011:
1009:
996:
995:
991:
982:
980:
971:
970:
966:
957:
955:
948:"LISTSERV 16.0"
946:
945:
941:
932:
928:
921:
907:
903:
868:
864:
855:
853:
845:
844:
840:
831:
829:
821:
820:
816:
812:
807:
790:
786:
782:
777:
719:Parkinson's law
651:
631:
568:
518:Richard Dawkins
514:
492:'s archives in
464:Fred R. Shapiro
438:
265:
233:resistentialism
203:wrote in 1908:
201:Nevil Maskelyne
122:Nevil Maskelyne
102:
62:during a later
31:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
2109:
2099:
2098:
2093:
2088:
2071:
2070:
2068:
2067:
2062:
2057:
2052:
2047:
2042:
2037:
2032:
2027:
2022:
2017:
2012:
2007:
2002:
2000:Osborne effect
1997:
1992:
1987:
1985:Jevons paradox
1982:
1977:
1972:
1967:
1962:
1960:Goodhart's law
1957:
1952:
1947:
1942:
1937:
1932:
1930:Campbell's law
1927:
1922:
1917:
1915:Adverse effect
1912:
1906:
1903:
1902:
1895:
1894:
1887:
1880:
1872:
1866:
1865:
1856:
1851:
1839:
1834:
1825:
1820:
1813:
1812:External links
1810:
1809:
1808:
1790:
1781:, Macmillan,
1775:
1736:(6): 374–380.
1725:
1724:
1723:
1716:Ig Nobel Prize
1683:(4): 172–176.
1668:
1655:
1649:
1633:
1627:
1612:
1609:
1607:
1606:
1582:
1571:www.cs.cmu.edu
1558:
1542:www.angelo.edu
1529:
1515:
1500:
1485:
1470:
1457:
1435:"Murphy's Law"
1426:
1417:
1396:
1387:
1378:
1366:improbable.com
1353:
1341:improbable.com
1328:
1316:
1284:
1266:
1242:
1213:
1184:
1172:
1150:
1143:
1129:Spark, Nick T.
1111:
1094:
1092:, 13 June 1948
1075:
1057:
1048:
1033:
1018:
989:
964:
939:
926:
919:
901:
862:
851:www.abc.net.au
838:
827:todayinsci.com
813:
811:
808:
806:
805:
783:
781:
778:
776:
775:
769:
763:
757:
751:
746:
740:
734:
728:
722:
716:
710:
702:
696:
690:
684:
678:
672:
666:
663:Hindsight bias
660:
657:Hanlon's razor
654:
645:
639:
632:
630:
627:
599:rules of thumb
567:
564:
545:Selection bias
513:
510:
506:Ig Nobel Prize
458:training films
437:
434:
332:railroad track
326:tolerance for
315:in the 1950s.
313:flight surgeon
264:
261:
249:mountaineering
242:existentialism
170:Mathematician
153:U.S. Air Force
101:
98:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
2108:
2097:
2094:
2092:
2089:
2087:
2084:
2083:
2081:
2066:
2063:
2061:
2058:
2056:
2053:
2051:
2048:
2046:
2043:
2041:
2038:
2036:
2033:
2031:
2028:
2026:
2023:
2021:
2018:
2016:
2013:
2011:
2008:
2006:
2003:
2001:
1998:
1996:
1993:
1991:
1988:
1986:
1983:
1981:
1978:
1976:
1973:
1971:
1968:
1966:
1963:
1961:
1958:
1956:
1953:
1951:
1948:
1946:
1943:
1941:
1938:
1936:
1933:
1931:
1928:
1926:
1923:
1921:
1918:
1916:
1913:
1911:
1908:
1907:
1904:
1900:
1893:
1888:
1886:
1881:
1879:
1874:
1873:
1870:
1864:
1862:
1857:
1855:
1852:
1850:
1846:
1843:
1840:
1838:
1835:
1833:
1829:
1826:
1824:
1821:
1819:
1816:
1815:
1806:
1802:
1798:
1794:
1791:
1788:
1784:
1780:
1776:
1773:
1769:
1765:
1761:
1757:
1753:
1749:
1744:
1739:
1735:
1731:
1726:
1721:
1717:
1713:
1712:
1710:
1706:
1702:
1698:
1694:
1690:
1686:
1682:
1678:
1674:
1669:
1665:
1661:
1656:
1652:
1646:
1642:
1638:
1634:
1630:
1624:
1620:
1615:
1614:
1596:
1592:
1586:
1572:
1568:
1562:
1548:on 2023-08-03
1547:
1543:
1539:
1533:
1526:
1519:
1512:, p. 110
1511:
1504:
1497:, p. 171
1496:
1489:
1481:
1474:
1467:
1461:
1447:on 2012-02-14
1446:
1442:
1441:
1436:
1430:
1421:
1414:
1413:981-238-571-1
1410:
1406:
1400:
1391:
1382:
1367:
1363:
1357:
1342:
1338:
1332:
1325:
1320:
1306:on 2008-03-12
1305:
1301:
1299:
1291:
1289:
1281:
1280:
1273:
1271:
1263:
1262:0-8431-0428-7
1259:
1255:
1249:
1247:
1231:
1227:
1225:
1217:
1203:on 2008-06-21
1202:
1198:
1196:
1188:
1181:
1176:
1170:
1166:
1162:
1159:
1154:
1146:
1140:
1136:
1135:
1130:
1124:
1122:
1120:
1118:
1116:
1108:
1104:
1098:
1091:
1090:
1085:
1079:
1072:
1071:
1070:The Spectator
1066:
1061:
1052:
1044:
1037:
1029:
1022:
1008:on 2009-01-22
1007:
1003:
1001:
993:
978:
974:
968:
954:on 2012-07-10
953:
949:
943:
936:
935:The Athenaeum
930:
922:
920:9780684839035
916:
912:
905:
897:
893:
889:
885:
881:
877:
873:
866:
852:
848:
842:
828:
824:
818:
814:
802:
798:
794:
788:
784:
773:
770:
767:
764:
761:
758:
755:
752:
750:
747:
744:
741:
738:
735:
732:
729:
726:
723:
720:
717:
714:
711:
708:
707:
703:
700:
697:
694:
691:
688:
685:
682:
679:
676:
673:
670:
667:
664:
661:
658:
655:
650: – Adage
649:
648:Finagle's law
646:
643:
640:
637:
634:
633:
626:
624:
620:
616:
612:
608:
604:
600:
595:
592:
590:
589:Peter Drucker
585:
583:
579:
577:
573:
563:
561:
557:
553:
548:
546:
542:
538:
534:
529:
527:
523:
519:
516:According to
509:
507:
502:
499:
495:
491:
487:
481:
477:
475:
471:
470:
465:
461:
459:
456:
452:
451:Mercury Seven
448:
444:
432:
429:
426:
422:
418:
412:
409:
405:
401:
399:
398:
393:
392:Lewis Strauss
389:
385:
381:
380:
375:
370:
367:
361:
358:
354:
349:
346:
345:strain gauges
341:
337:
333:
329:
325:
321:
316:
314:
310:
306:
301:
297:
293:
289:
281:
277:
273:
269:
260:
258:
254:
250:
245:
243:
239:
235:
234:
229:
228:Paul Jennings
224:
222:
221:Patrick Moore
216:
214:
210:
204:
202:
198:
194:
188:
183:
181:
176:
173:
168:
166:
162:
158:
154:
149:
145:
141:
140:
135:
131:
123:
118:
111:
106:
97:
95:
91:
90:Finagle's law
87:
82:
80:
76:
73:'s 1977 book
72:
67:
65:
61:
57:
53:
50:
45:
43:
39:
35:
29:
22:
1990:Murphy's law
1989:
1975:Hydra effect
1970:Hutber's law
1935:Cobra effect
1860:
1796:
1778:
1771:
1733:
1729:
1708:
1680:
1676:
1663:
1660:EEE Magazine
1659:
1640:
1637:Paul Dickson
1618:
1611:Bibliography
1598:. Retrieved
1595:meyerweb.com
1594:
1585:
1574:. Retrieved
1570:
1561:
1550:. Retrieved
1546:the original
1541:
1532:
1524:
1518:
1509:
1503:
1494:
1488:
1479:
1473:
1465:
1460:
1449:. Retrieved
1445:the original
1438:
1429:
1420:
1404:
1399:
1390:
1381:
1370:. Retrieved
1368:. 2024-07-07
1365:
1356:
1345:. Retrieved
1343:. 2006-08-01
1340:
1331:
1323:
1319:
1308:. Retrieved
1304:the original
1297:
1296:"Roe, Anne,
1277:
1253:
1234:. Retrieved
1230:the original
1223:
1216:
1205:. Retrieved
1201:the original
1194:
1187:
1175:
1168:
1153:
1133:
1106:
1102:
1101:Sack, John.
1097:
1087:
1078:
1068:
1060:
1051:
1042:
1036:
1027:
1021:
1010:. Retrieved
1006:the original
999:
992:
981:. Retrieved
977:the original
967:
956:. Retrieved
952:the original
942:
934:
929:
910:
904:
882:(4): 88–91.
879:
875:
865:
854:. Retrieved
850:
841:
830:. Retrieved
826:
817:
801:Reilly's law
800:
796:
792:
787:
772:Yhprum's Law
743:Shit happens
713:Muphry's law
705:
596:
593:
586:
582:Yhprum's law
580:
575:
569:
549:
530:
515:
503:
494:Philadelphia
483:
479:
467:
462:
446:
442:
439:
414:
407:
404:Arthur Bloch
402:
395:
383:
377:
371:
366:Murphy's law
365:
362:
350:
317:
288:Murphy's law
287:
285:
252:
246:
241:
237:
231:
225:
218:
212:
208:
206:
190:
185:
177:
169:
147:
143:
137:
127:
94:Yhprum's law
83:
74:
71:Arthur Bloch
68:
46:
34:Murphy's law
33:
32:
28:Muphry's law
2050:Social trap
2045:Serendipity
1945:Externality
1832:Jargon File
1482:, p. 4
1440:Jargon File
1282:529 (2006).
1109:529 (2006).
793:Stapp's law
737:Segal's law
531:Similarly,
431:variations.
425:strain gage
386:go wrong".
276:rocket sled
197:stage magic
180:Alfred Holt
79:corollaries
56:rocket sled
2080:Categories
1940:CSI effect
1805:1451690134
1787:0374711399
1743:1508.07291
1730:Complexity
1600:2023-08-03
1576:2023-08-03
1552:2023-08-03
1451:2012-04-19
1372:2024-08-12
1347:2024-08-12
1310:2012-04-19
1236:2012-04-19
1207:2012-04-19
1012:2012-04-19
983:2012-04-19
958:2012-04-19
856:2023-11-06
832:2023-11-06
810:References
607:technology
533:David Hand
421:transducer
374:Lee Correy
353:chimpanzee
305:John Stapp
272:John Stapp
238:resistance
60:John Stapp
1705:250909096
1264:, pp. 4–5
754:Sod's law
725:Pessimism
390:Chairman
307:, a USAF
274:riding a
257:John Sack
211:go wrong
86:Sod's law
1845:Archived
1795:(2012).
1768:27224613
1720:see list
1468:, p. 681
1161:Archived
1131:(2013).
795:and the
629:See also
623:business
619:research
474:Anne Roe
328:g-forces
193:aphorism
167:(ADS).
159:was the
130:universe
2096:Eponyms
1830:in the
1748:Bibcode
1685:Bibcode
884:Bibcode
611:romance
498:Caltech
428:bridges
309:colonel
300:captain
298:(USAF)
148:concept
100:History
42:epigram
2086:Adages
1995:Nocebo
1803:
1785:
1766:
1703:
1647:
1625:
1411:
1260:
1141:
917:
621:, and
336:brakes
161:eponym
142:, the
92:, and
36:is an
1764:S2CID
1738:arXiv
1701:S2CID
780:Notes
749:SNAFU
324:human
251:book
38:adage
2091:Risk
1859:The
1801:ISBN
1783:ISBN
1645:ISBN
1623:ISBN
1409:ISBN
1258:ISBN
1139:ISBN
915:ISBN
687:Jinx
384:will
311:and
294:, a
240:and
213:will
144:name
1756:doi
1693:doi
1086:",
892:doi
880:276
278:at
209:can
40:or
2082::
1770:.
1762:.
1754:.
1746:.
1734:21
1732:.
1722:).
1707:.
1699:.
1691:.
1681:16
1679:.
1675:.
1664:15
1662:.
1593:.
1569:.
1540:.
1437:.
1364:.
1339:.
1287:^
1269:^
1245:^
1167:–
1114:^
1067:,
890:.
878:.
874:.
849:.
825:.
625:.
617:,
613:,
609:,
605:,
562:.
460:.
255:,
88:,
1891:e
1884:t
1877:v
1807:.
1789:.
1758::
1750::
1740::
1695::
1687::
1666:.
1653:.
1631:.
1603:.
1579:.
1555:.
1454:.
1415:.
1375:.
1350:.
1313:.
1239:.
1222:"
1210:.
1193:"
1147:.
1082:"
1015:.
986:.
961:.
923:.
898:.
894::
886::
859:.
835:.
803:.
30:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
