Newton's flaming laser sword

Newton's flaming laser sword

English

Alternative forms

• Newton's laser sword
• NFLS (initialism)

Etymology

Named after Isaac Newton. Coined by Australian mathematician Mike Alder in a 2004 article of the same title,[1] to be hyperbolically “much sharper and more dangerous than Occam's Razor”.

Proper noun

Newton's flaming laser sword

1. (philosophy) A philosophical razor which states that what cannot be settled by experiment is not worth debating.

   Synonym: Alder's razor

   Coordinate term: Occam's razor

   • 2004, Alder, Mike, “Newton's Flaming Laser Sword, Or: Why Mathematicians and Scientists don't like Philosophy but do it anyway”, in Philosophy now‎, volume 46, pages 29–32:

     Mathematicians and scientists feel that they have found a more difficult but much more satisfying game to play. Newton's Flaming Laser Sword is one of the rules of that game.

   • 2010 October 25, "Valhallen", “Re: The meaning of the universe explained by Jesus”, in Snafu Comics‎, retrieved 2011-12-05:

     Also, I invoke Newton's Flaming Laser Sword on this thread.

   • 2011 January 5, "Arkhanno", “Re: Atheists don't know how to reason”, in I Wanna Be The Forums‎, retrieved 2011-12-05:

     I prefer to be anti-religion and live by Newton's flaming laser sword, Occam's Razor and Hanlon's Razor.

   • 2011 January 8, "Azwraith", “Atheism - Belief? Religion? (comment)”, in Minegarde‎, retrieved 2011-12-05:

     What is the actual point of adding in God to your equation if it is a unknown domain? So, we remove such variables using the Newton's Flaming Laser Sword.

   • 2011 July 19, "Drastic", “Thought Experiment Regarding Morality (comment)”, in That Guy With the Glasses‎, retrieved 2011-12-05:

     Just demanding there is nothing you can do, because the flashy light told you so is grounds for Newton's Flaming Laser Sword.

   • 2011 September 12, "Decivre", “Open thread on Episode #726 (comment)”, in The Atheist Experience‎, retrieved 2011-12-05:

     Put as much math as you want to it, and it's still a philosophical statement... to which I say that Newton's Flaming Laser Sword is the best response: "what cannot be settled by experiment is not worth debating".

Related terms

• verifiability principle

References

1. Alder, Mike (2004), “Newton's Flaming Laser Sword”, in Philosophy Now‎, issue 46, ISSN 0961-5970, pages 29–33

Further reading

• Mike Alder § Newton's flaming laser sword on Wikipedia.Wikipedia