Occam's razor: Difference between revisions
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'''Occam's razor''' states: other things being equal—when several theories explain the same facts equally well, it is rational to prefer the most parsimonious of the theories. | '''Occam's razor''' states: other things being equal—when several theories explain the same facts equally well, it is rational to prefer the most parsimonious of the theories. Occam's razor, sometimes referred to as "ontological parsimony", commonly is attributed to William of Ockham in the 14th-century, although it probably predates him.<ref name=Baker/> | ||
==References== | |||
{{Reflist|refs= | |||
<ref name=Baker> | |||
{{cite web |title=Simplicity; §2: Ontological parsimony |url=http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2011/entries/simplicity/#OntPar |author=Baker, Alan |date=February 25, 2010 |work=The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2011 Edition)|editor=Edward N. Zalta (ed.)|accessdate=2011-11-14}} | |||
</ref> | |||
}} | |||
Revision as of 09:25, 14 November 2011
Occam's razor states: other things being equal—when several theories explain the same facts equally well, it is rational to prefer the most parsimonious of the theories. Occam's razor, sometimes referred to as "ontological parsimony", commonly is attributed to William of Ockham in the 14th-century, although it probably predates him.[1]
References
- ↑ Baker, Alan (February 25, 2010). Edward N. Zalta (ed.):Simplicity; §2: Ontological parsimony. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2011 Edition). Retrieved on 2011-11-14.