Ginsberg's theorem
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Ginsberg's theorem is a parody of the laws of thermodynamics in terms of a person playing a game. The quote was first attributed to the poet Allen Ginsberg in the 1975 issue of the Coevolition Quarterly[1]
It is possible that the quote originates as a slight misstatement of the opening lines of "You Can't Win," by Charlie Smalls, as the copyroght date for Small's song is 1974, earlier than the first attribution to Ginsberg.[2]
Theorem
The "theorem" is given as a restatement of the consequences of the first, second, and third laws of thermodynamics:[3][4][5][6]
- You can't win. (consequence of first law of thermodynamics)
- You can't break even. (consequence of second law of thermodynamics)
- You can't even get out of the game. (consequence of third law of thermodynamics)
It is sometimes stated as a general adage without specific reference to the laws of thermodynamics.[7][8][9]
References
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External links
Quotations related to Thermodynamics at Wikiquote
