--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that there are non-physical laws…" description: "\"I think that there are non-physical laws all right: genuine (if not strict) laws written in the language of biology, economics, and so on. But I don't ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/203/david-papineau-18257_biology_i-think-that-there-are-non-physical-laws_2819249.jpg" --- # I think that there are non-physical laws all right… ![“I think that there are non-physical laws all right: genuine (if not strict) laws written in the language of biology, economics, and so on. But I don't regard that as a contentious issue. Even reductionists about chemistry will think that there are special chemical laws whose formulation makes…” quote by David Papineau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/203/david-papineau-18257_biology_i-think-that-there-are-non-physical-laws_2819249.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/203/david-papineau-18257_biology_i-think-that-there-are-non-physical-laws_2819249.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/203/david-papineau-18257_biology_i-think-that-there-are-non-physical-laws_2819249.jpg) > “I think that there are non-physical laws all right: genuine (if not strict) laws written in the language of biology, economics, and so on. But I don't regard that as a contentious issue. Even reductionists about chemistry will think that there are special chemical laws whose formulation makes essential use of chemical terminology.” [David Papineau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-papineau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests there are domain‑specific laws that cannot be reduced to physics alone. **In simple terms:** Some fields have unique laws. Key Takeaway Recognize interdisciplinary limits. Themes philosophy science reductionism Mood analytical inquisitive Type philosophical academic When to use this quote - policy making - economic modeling - biological research - chemical education Key Concepts emergence law of nature Questions to Reflect On - Can we ever fully integrate all sciences? - What are examples of irreducible laws? A Different Perspective Oversimplifies complex interactions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) [Chemical Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chemical-laws-3085266/) [Chemicals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chemicals/) [Chemistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chemistry/) [Contentious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contentious/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Essentials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essentials/) [Genuine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genuine/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Laws Formulation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws-formulation-3576664/) [Laws Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws-written-617337/) [Non Physical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/non-physical-664873/) [Physical Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-laws-284752/) [Regard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regard/) [Special](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special/) [Strict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strict/) [Strict laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strict-laws/) [Terminology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terminology/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written/) ## Related quotes > [A century ago mainstream science was still quite happy to countenance vital and mental powers which had a 'downwards' causal influence on the physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-papineau/a-century-ago-mainstream-science-was-still-quite-happy-to-countenance/) [David Papineau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-papineau/) > [Life itself is but the expression of a sum of phenomena, each of which follows the ordinary physical and chemical laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-virchow/life-itself-is-but-the-expression-of-a-sum-of-phenomena-each-of-which/) [Rudolf Virchow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-virchow/) > [You know, these non-physical beings, it's very hard to tell what they're up to. 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