
Ask HN: What would you add to (Larry) Niven's Laws? - lifeisstillgood
http:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.m.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Niven%27s_laws<p>Niven&#x27;s Laws are the hard SF author&#x27;s ideas of how the Universe seems to work.  I was wondering how the HN community would formulate them - what would you add?<p>- Never fire a laser at a mirror.<p>- Giving up freedom for security is beginning to look naïve.<p>- It is easier to destroy than to create.<p>- Ethics change with technology.<p>- The only universal message in science fiction: There exist minds that think as well as you do, but differently.
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AnimalMuppet
Seen in the physics department at the University of Utah, many years ago:

Do not look at laser with remaining eyeball.

My own additions:

There is a reality which exists. Statements are true or false to the degree
that they correspond or fail to correspond to the reality that exists.

Human nature changes only slightly with technology.

Almost any technology can be (mis)used as a weapon.

You (plural, including the whole human race) may understand the laws of
physics less well than you think you do.

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lifeisstillgood
Love the laser one :-)

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lifeisstillgood
Clickable link:
[http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niven%27s_laws](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niven%27s_laws)

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opless
And a non-mobile link...
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niven%27s_laws](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niven%27s_laws)

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lifeisstillgood
Aha - thank you

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PaulHoule
I'd disagree with "never fire a laser at a mirror", that's a rule for the
morons who shine lasers on planes and police helicopters.

