OCKHAM'S RAZOR

William of Ockham (14th c.) is remembered for the principle: do not multiply entities beyond necessity. Modern science treats this as a guideline: when two theories explain the same data, prefer the simpler one. The simpler theory is more likely to be right (or at least more useful) because it makes fewer assumptions that could be wrong.

The practice trains the careful application of this. Ockham's razor is widely misused. It's not 'simpler theories are true.' It's 'when two theories EXPLAIN THE SAME THING, prefer the simpler.' The exception is when the simpler theory loses explanatory power.

1. 1.Pick a phenomenon that has competing explanations. (Could be small: 'why was my friend short with me?')
2. 2.List at least two candidate explanations, in order of complexity (simplest first).
3. 3.For each, ask: does it account for ALL the evidence?
4. 4.If the simpler explanation accounts for the evidence, you've found Ockham's preferred answer.
5. 5.If it doesn't, the more complex explanation has to earn its complexity by explaining MORE than the simpler one.
6. 6.Common misapplication to watch for: dismissing a more complex theory just because it's complex, even when it explains things the simpler one can't.