Never increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of entities required to explain anything.
William Of OckhamRead
God's existence cannot be deduced by reason alone.
Interpretation
The existence of God cannot be proven merely through logical reasoning.
William of Ockham suggests that rational thought and logical deduction are insufficient to establish the existence of God. This implies a limit to human understanding and reasoning in spiritual matters, indicating that faith or personal experience might play a significant role in such beliefs.
In practice
During a philosophical debate on the nature of belief and existence.
Never increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of entities required to explain anything.
Of two equivalent theories or explanations, all other things being equal, the simpler one is to be preferred.
It is vain to do with more what can be done with less.
It may seem bizarre, but in my opinion science offers a surer path to God than religion.
[Government] regulation is an imperfect substitute for the accountability, and trust, built into a market in which food producers meet the gaze of eaters and vice versa.
Am I alive and a reality, or am I but a dream?
Jewish history turns out not to be an either/or story - as in, either pure Judaism detached from its surroundings or else assimilation - but rather, for the vast majority, the adventure of living in between.
I believe all Americans are born with certain inalienable rights. As a child of God, I believe my rights are not derived from the constitution. My rights are not derived from any government. My rights are not denied by any majority. My rights are because I exist. They were given to me and each of my fellow citizens by our creator, and they represent the essence of human dignity.
The goal of life is not to have our lives mean something to ourselves. The goal of life is to have our lives mean something to others.
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