"Ken S. Tucker" wrote in message
om...
(Patrick Reany) wrote in message
. com...
Taken from:
[brevity snip, see OP's 1st post...]

My definition of physics:
Physics is the search for the smallest set of rules

Is smallest relative?

by which we can completely describe the behavior of
inanimate matter

Is animate matter exempt from physics?

The word "behavior" covers this case.

Rather than a search for
"the smallest set of rules",
I suggest that it is a search for sets of
viable, cost-effect rules".

The smallest set may be so complex or unwieldy,
that the use of this set would be counter productive to
individuals and society.

For example if a "small set of rules" was in reality
the "theory of everything", but the set was too
complex, cumbersome, inefficient, etc. to be useful,
physics would continue, and efforts would be made
using the TOE set as a target, to come up with
sub sets that with viable and cost-effective.

--
Tom Potter http://tompotter.us