law of nature
The term "law of nature" refers to fundamental principles that describe consistent patterns and behaviors in the natural world, often grounded in empirical observation.
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Definition
C1Science
(technical, academic)A principle derived from empirical observation that consistently describes the behavior of natural phenomena.
Example
- Newton's laws of motion are considered laws of nature because they predictably describe the behavior of moving objects.
C1Philosophy
(academic)A fundamental principle that is thought to govern natural phenomena and is universally applicable.
Example
- Philosophers debate whether laws of nature are mere descriptions of the world or if they dictate how the world must behave.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "law of nature":
physical lawnatural lawforce of naturelaw of nationsconservation lawnatural magiclaw of the junglelaw unto oneselfrule of lawnatural history