<P> 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 a 1975 issue of the Coevolution Quarterly </P> <P> 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 copyright date for Small's song is 1974, earlier than the first attribution to Ginsberg . While the song was cut from 1975 Broadway debut of the Wiz, it was performed at the original, 1974, Baltimore run of the musical . </P> <P> The "theorem" is given as a restatement of the consequences of the zeroth, first, second, and third laws of thermodynamics, with regard to the usable energy of a closed system: </P> <P> 0 . There is a game (consequence of zeroth law of thermodynamics) 1 . You can't win . (consequence of first law of thermodynamics) 2 . You can't break even . (consequence of second law of thermodynamics) 3 . You can't even get out of the game . (consequence of third law of thermodynamics) </P>

Laws of thermodynamics you can't win you can't break even