About this quote

Theoretical physics seeks a small set of fundamental laws capable of generating the complexity observed in nature. The statement captures the field's ambition while making clear that deduction begins only after the right principles are found.

When to use it

• A physicist searches for equations that explain several forces within one consistent framework.
• A student derives predictions from a compact set of assumptions and then compares them with observations.
• A theorist rejects an elegant law when its deductions conflict with reliable experimental results.