So, in honor of Sallys find below... the word of the day is Occams Razor Occams razor is a principle of parsimony, economy, or succinctness used in problem-solving. It states that among competing hypotheses, the hypothesis with the fewest assumptions should be selected. Many people simplify this to state something like all other things being equal, the simplest explanation is probably correct. The term razor refers to distinguishing between two hypotheses either by shaving away unnecessary assumptions or cutting apart two similar conclusions. Of course, there are exceptions to its validity. These include the Periodic Table and the Particle Zoo of Quantum Physics. This notion was not unique to William of Ockham (c. 1287 – 1347). Immanuel Kant felt the need to moderate the effects of Occams Razor and thus created his own counter-razor: The variety of beings should not rashly be diminished. In our experience many different razors are in play. Hanlons razor: To explain human behavior, assume incompetence before malice.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 15:03:26 +0000
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