![]() That’s because, the more unusual the explanation, the stronger the emotion it evokes. Fair point.īut, the human brain tends to consider extreme possibilities first. “Isn’t it natural for the brain to accept the simplest explanation? Why would it complicate things unnecessarily?”, you wonder. Why doesn’t the brain apply Occam’s Razor naturally? Other razors include Hanlon’s Razor, Hitchen’s Razor, Alder’s Razor, etc. So, the actual origin of the Occam’s Razor remains unknown.Īre you wondering why the principle is called a razor? That’s because “razor” is a common term in philosophy used to describe tools and methods to eliminate(or shave off) unlikely explanations and actions. Aristotle and Ptolemy have recommended sticking to simplicity to explain a cause. The principle also goes by the names of Ockham’s Razor and the law of parsimony.īut, the principle dates centuries back in time, where other philosophers have brought up similar principles. He frequently used it in various areas such as relationships, causal events, explanation of ideas, philosophy, and others. Occam’s razor is a mental model attributed to William of Ockham from the 14th century. It is futile to do with more what can be done with fewer.When there are many hypotheses, the simplest one must be considered first.Don’t make more assumptions than you absolutely need.Here are the other definitions of Occam’s Razor: Occam’s Razor is a method of reasoning which states that the simplest explanation or solution is usually the best one.ĭifferent people cite it in different ways, but the essence of the message remains the same. The Occam’s Razor depends on your explanatory style Not a reason for reckless decision making Arguments and controversies against Occam’s Razor:.Why doesn’t the brain apply Occam’s Razor naturally?.Thanks to its name, Occam’s razor invites plenty of puns:ĭetective: after considering all the evidence and analyzing all the possible scenarios, I have concluded that the murder weapon was Occam’s razor! Not sure there’s much difference between the two. Trump is either a Russian agent, or he’s willingly being manipulated by the Russians. Occam’s Razor: the simplest explanation that will account for a circumstance or event is most likely the correct explanation. Others apply it more sharply to politics, especially to bust conspiratorial thinking. In other words, if it sounds like Scott was texting from Tessa’s phone, that’s probably what happened. ![]() Occam’s Razor: The simplest explanation is most likely the correct one. Outside of discussions in science and logic, some people casually cite Occam’s razor as a handy rule of thumb to make sense of life and all its messes. A pity that many educated people have fixed conclusions based on ideas like Occam’s razor. It incorporates more data than most libraries, the mystery of life and death are there to those who study. We don’t really exist but there’s a lot of stuff buried in the conscious process. Some critics of Occam’s razor, however, state that the principle is an oversimplification of the complexities of real life and often rules out creative thinking. The principle is also commonly applied in modes of reasoning in philosophy, math, and religion-and, of course, The Simpsons in 1994, when Lisa cites Occam’s razor to dismiss some outlandish hypotheticals. Occam’s razor compels us to form the simplest hypothesis that is consistent with the data available. Many folks first encounter Occam’s razor in school when learning about the scientific method and learning about how to create testable and falsifiable hypotheses. We can’t 100% rule out that it didn’t happen. Not a goose disguised as a duck that infiltrated the flock. If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, says Occam’s razor, it’s probably a duck. Hamilton credited William of Ockham, a 14th-century English monk and philosopher, with formulating his namesake, Occam’s razor: “More things should not be used than are necessary.” In other words, when trying to make sense of some phenomenon (especially between two competing alternatives), it’s best to avoid the more elaborate explanation-shave it off, like a razor. The phrase Occam’s razor is recorded in 1852 by the Scottish metaphysician Sir William Hamilton. Just as we all strive to pinch our pennies, Occam’s razor teaches us that we should hold off on our hypotheticals. Occam’s razor is grounded in the idea of parsimony-being thrifty with your resources.
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