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THE PHYSICISTS' BILL OF
RIGHTS
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Author Unknown
We hold these postulates to be intuitively obvious, that all physicists are born equal,
to a first approximation, and are endowed by their creator with certain discrete privileges,
among them a mean rest life, n degrees of freedom, and the following rights, which are
invariant under all linear transformations:
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I.
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To approximate all problems to ideal cases.
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II.
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To use order of magnitude calculations whenever deemed necessary (i.e.,
whenever one can get away with it.)
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III.
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To use the rigorous method of "squinting" for solving problems more complex
than the addition of positive real integers.
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IV.
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To dismiss all functions which disverge as "nasty" and "unphysical".
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V.
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To invoke the uncertainty principle whenever confronted by confused mathematicians,
chemists, engineers, psychologists, dramatists, and andere schweinhund.
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VI.
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To the extensive use of "bastard notations" where conventional mathematics will
not work.
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VII.
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To justify shaky reasoning on the basis that it gives the right answer.
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VIII.
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To cleverly choose convenient initial conditions, using the principle
of general triviality.
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IX.
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To use plausible arguments in place of proofs, and thenceforth refer to those
arguments as proofs.
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X.
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To take on faith any principle which seems right but cannot be proved.
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