nature will look at the forces, configurations and energies

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An example of anthropomorphism in writing about science:

"Exactly when is a system big enough for nature to think it is infinite?"
"…nature will evolve the system as the quantum statistical equation dictates. It will look at the forces and configurations and at the energies these give rise to, and will do what the equation requires when those energy obtain. Imagine that nature uses our methods of representation. It looks at the energies, writes down the operator that represents those energies, solves the quantum statistical equation, and finally produces the new state that the equation demands."

Nancy Cartwright

Cartwright, N. (1983). How the Laws of Physics Lie. Clarendon Press.

Note: there is a longheld tradition of personifying nature – writing about her as if she was a person.

Read about anthropomorphism

Read examples of anthropomorphism in science

Read about personification in science texts

[Please be aware that a word may have different nuances, or even a different meaning, according to context.]« Back to Index