Never increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of entities required to explain anything.
William Of OckhamRead
Of two equivalent theories or explanations, all other things being equal, the simpler one is to be preferred.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The simplest explanation is usually the best one when comparing two equally valid theories.
This quote by William Of Ockham emphasizes the principle known as Occam's Razor, which advocates for simplicity in explanations. When faced with multiple possible theories that can explain a phenomenon, Ockham suggests that one should not multiply assumptions unnecessarily and should prefer the simplest theory that still adequately accounts for the evidence.
Themes
SimplicityTheoryExplanationPhilosophyUnderstanding
In practice
Example use cases
In a science class discussing theories, a teacher may refer to this quote to emphasize the importance of simplicity in scientific explanations.
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