<P> Murphy's law is an adage or epigram that is typically stated as: "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong". </P> <P> The perceived perversity of the universe has long been a subject of comment, and precursors to the modern version of Murphy's law are not hard to find . The concept may be as old as humanity . Recent significant research in this area has been conducted by members of the American Dialect Society . Society member Stephen Goranson has found a version of the law, not yet generalized or bearing that name, in a report by Alfred Holt at an 1877 meeting of an engineering society . </P>

What is the meaning behind 'murphy's law'