A theoretical framework proposing that the laws of
physics can undergo permanent deformation—that under extreme conditions, they might change in ways that
don't revert when conditions normalize. Unlike elasticity (temporary stretching), plasticity implies irreversible transformation: the laws themselves could evolve, learn, or adapt over
cosmic time. This theory suggests that the universe's laws might not have been fixed at the Big Bang but might have developed through cosmic
history, perhaps through mechanisms analogous to natural selection (universes that produce stable laws persist) or phase transitions (laws crystallizing as the universe cooled). The plasticity of physical laws opens possibilities for cosmic evolution far beyond what traditional
physics imagines—a universe whose fundamental rules can change.
Theory of the Plasticity of the Laws of
Physics Example: "Her theory of the plasticity of physical laws suggested that the constants we measure today might be different in the distant future—not because
anything changes, but because the laws themselves evolve. The
universe isn't just unfolding; it's learning new rules."