Occam's Razor

Philosophical Position
Occam's Razor is a philosophical position which can be expressed in several ways, including the following:


 * The simplest explanation is probably the correct one.
 * When seeking to explain a phenomenon, choose the hypothesis which requires the fewest postulates.
 * Demonstration by fewer postulates or hypotheses (in short from fewer premises) is ceteris paribus superior; for, given that all of these are equally well known, where they are fewer, knowledge will be more speedily acquired, and that is a desideratum. (, from Analytica Posteriora).
 * We are to admit no more causes of natural things than such as are both true and sufficient to explain their appearances. Therefore, to the same natural effects we must, so far as possible, assign the same causes (attributed to ).
 * (used as a design principle).

It has profound philosophical implications, and considerable scope for misuse.

Also known as
More accurately, the name should strictly be given as Ockham's Razor, but this usage is rare.

Occam's Razor is also known in Latin as the lex parsimoniae (which translates as the law of economy or law of succinctness).