Towards a Theory of Everything in Social Work: Ten Axioms of Social Problems inspired by Theoretical Physics

Abstract

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This article develops an axiomatic framework for understanding contemporary social problems inspired by conceptual models from theoretical physics, particularly those associated with Stephen Hawking’s reflections on a “Theory of Everything.” Through an interdisciplinary and abductive approach, the paper explores structural analogies between physical phenomena—such as entropy, expansion, gravity, or space-time relativity—and complex social processes. Rather than proposing a literal transfer of scientific laws, the aim is to construct a set of conceptual axioms that function as heuristic and interpretive tools for analyzing the dynamic and multicausal nature of social problems. The resulting ten axioms frame social issues as evolving systems shaped by structural conditions, institutional responses, and the interpretive frameworks through which societies make sense of inequality and conflict. Particular attention is given to the notion of “imaginary social space-time,” which highlights the need to rethink intervention strategies when institutional arrangements generate contradictions that make certain problems appear resistant to resolution. By translating ideas from theoretical physics into the social domain, the article contributes to interdisciplinary debates on complexity, meaning-making, and the epistemological foundations of Social Work and social theory. At the same time, the proposed framework is presented as conceptually bounded and exploratory, requiring further theoretical and empirical development. Ultimately, the proposed axioms are intended not as universal laws but as heuristic devices that expand the conceptual horizons through which social problems can be analyzed and addressed in contexts marked by uncertainty and systemic transformation.