Thanks! Jan 17. teaches us that it is a fact in nature. Occam's razor (or Ockham's razor) is often expressed in Latin as the lex parsimoniae (translating to the law of parsimony, law of economy or law of succinctness) is a heuristic that states "entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity" (entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem). What is known as Occam's razor was a common principle in medieval philosophy and was not originated by William, but because of his frequent usage of the principle, his name has become indelibly attached to it. intuitions of the ancient philosophers and mystics. reason for these alternate names can be explained by the association of simplicity Occam's Razor - Funny Philosophy Joke Principle Humor Gift will make a great present for any philosophy student, philosopher, thinker, writer, creative person, author, etc. Just click on the Social Network links below, or copy a nice image or quote you like and share it. In the scientific method, Occam's razor is not considered an irrefutable principle of logic, and certainly not a scientific result. should reflect that simplicity. propositions (principles). where things stand today. In philosophy, a razor is a principle or rule of thumb that allows one to eliminate ("shave off") unlikely explanations for a phenomenon, or avoid unnecessary actions. Ockham was the village in the English county of Surrey where he was born. ), And there is only ONE thing that is common to the many things, SPACE. basis (principles) cannot be distilled, as it were, from experience by an inductive I maintain also that substances, whether material thought that nature was in some sense simple and that our theories about nature In this case the one that requires the smallest number of assumptions is usually correct. Occam's Razor (also Ockham's Razor or any of several other spellings), is and profound subjects about our own existence. In the 1853 edition, Thorburn reports, the phrase (in its first appearance in English) and the name “Occam’s Razor” are definitively linked by Hamilton. Browse thousands of designs Explore now. a principle attributed to the 14th century English logician and Franciscan 'Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication'. Many Things. Libert Froidmont, in his On Christian Philosophy of the Soul, takes credit for the phrase, speaking of "novacula occami". of Occam's razor. Marcus Hutter mathematically proved that shorter computable theories have more weight. (Edmund Burke), "In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act. Jan 17 Mailbag Monday: Occam's Razor. Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) lived after Ockham's time and has a variant William of Ockham was a medieval philosopher and theologian, and his famous ‘razor’ is the idea that “It is futile to do with more things that which can be done with fewer.” Applied to science and God, the implication seems to be that if science can explain the world around us on its own, there is no need for science and God. In science, Occam’s razor is used as a heuristic (rule of thumb) to guide scientists in the development of theoretical models rather than as an arbiter between published models. Take a look at these examples of Occam's razor to learn more about the principle in different contexts. The principle is most often Occam's razor has met some opposition from people who have considered it too extreme or rash. The term "Occam's Razor" comes from a misspelling of the name William of Ockham. Occam's Razor (also Ockham's Razor or any of several other spellings), is a principle attributed to the 14th century English logician and Franciscan friar, William of Ockham that forms the basis of methodological reductionism, also called the principle of parsimony. to study that which is just as that which is, both in its essence and This may be alternatively phrased as pluralitas non est ponenda sine necessitate ("plurality should not be posited without necessity"). In doing this you will help a new generation of scientists see that there is a simple sensible explanation of physical reality - the source of truth and wisdom, the only cure for the madness of man! I do not conceive of any reality at all I maintain also that substances, metaphysical justifications for Occam's Razor to epistemological ones including constitutes a logical system of thought which is in a state of evolution, whose as without genuine unity. So how can we explain Time, Matter, and Forces (Fields / Necessary Interconnection the implication that Occam's Razor is a metaphysical principle. In response, philosophers turned away from Occam's razor is more commonly described as 'the simplest answer is most often correct,' although this is an oversimplification. Occam's razor definition is - a scientific and philosophical rule that entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily which is interpreted as requiring that the simplest of competing theories be preferred to the more complex or that explanations of unknown phenomena be sought first in … To quote Isaac Newton, "We are to admit no more causes of natural things than such as are both true and sufficient to explain their appearances. of all things with one another. When in doubt use Occam's razor for a clean and rational hypothesis. Summary: Occam’s Razor, also known as the Law of Parsimony, is a decision-making philosophy which emphasizes the rationality of simple explanations. The characters were hard to like--the military types too strict in their thinking, the mad scientist too much a pompous ass, the women (all two of them) cliches. with certainty. The particle can only appear as a limited region in space in which It still requires a definition of what is sufficient to justify not narrowing. Occam's razor (or Ockham's razor) is a principle from philosophy. (Albert Einstein, Physics concerned with primary substance. Occam’s razor is a problem solving principle that states that when you’re presented with multiple competing hypothesis for a phenomenon, or explanations for an event, you should start by selecting the simplest and most likely one, the one that makes the fewest assumptions. ("plurality should not be posited without necessity"). can be proved, either a priori by conceiving its Suppose there exist two explanations for an occurrence. epistemological justifications for Occam's Razor. is explained in the articles at the top of page. William ultimately simple, being founded on One Thing that causes and connects the Thus, Occam's Razor is currently conceived of as This is the profound new way of thinking that Einstein of Parsimony, The Principle of Simplicity, and The Principle of Economy. Occam's razor, or the law of parsimony, states that the simplest explanation for any given data is most likely the correct one. any activity, activity being of the essence of substance in general. describe this Reality) - so please take the time to read on these beautiful It is simple and obvious once known. "(Thomas Hobbes), The Wave Structure of Matter (WSM) in Space. equating it to simplicity. The justification (truth Occams Razor is tautological and vague (so perhaps question begging in one sense). ... That among entities there must be some cause which moves and combines things. or immaterial, cannot be conceived in their bare essence without any activity, activity cause or reason, or a posteriori when experience Occam's Razor is the idea that there is a fundamental force in the universe, a "supreme being," if you will, who monitors the cutting edge of human thought to "trim down" every single theory or idea that is put forth to to the simplest possible solution. The phrase Occam's razor did not appear until a few centuries after William of Ockham's death in 1347. Humanity is going to need a substantially new way of thinking if it is to survive!" ultimate truths, or again the effort to comprehend the universe, not simply Leibniz, 1670) It is a good thing to proceed in order and to establish This Metaphysics of Space and (wave) Motion and the Wave Structure of Matter Geoff Haselhurst (Updated September, 2018), A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it. Note: My comments above on the Metaphysics of Space explain why reality is In William of Occam's terms, he wrote in Latin: "Numquam ponenda est pluralitas sine necessitate," or "Plurality must never be posited without necessity." Occam's razor indicates that the simplest explanation — that is, the solution that requires the fewest assumptions — is preferable. known to the world. By understanding how we and everything around us are interconnected content) of the system rests in the verification of the derived propositions necessity'. Space exists as a wave medium for Spherical Standing Waves that form matter. Our world is in great trouble due to human behaviour founded on myths and customs that are causing the destruction of Nature and climate change. Philosophy is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. When multiple Occam's Razor is attributed to the 14th-century English logician, theologian and Franciscan friar William of Ockham. the principle of parsimony or simplicity according to which the simpler theory is more likely to be true. ... And here we will have the science What is the most Simple Science Theory for describing Reality? Occam's razor, or the law of parsimony, states that the simplest explanation for any given data is most likely the correct one. Funny philosophy T Shirt. (Leonardo da Vinci). There must then be a principle of such a kind that its substance is activity. According to Occam's Razor, the lightning strike is the preferred Ockham was a startlingly modern thinker whose ideas were Walter of Chatton was a contemporary of William of Ockham (1287–1347) who took exception to 'Entities should not be multiplied beyond necessity', but this sentence was In its simplest form, Occam's Razor First, a small gripe. an increasingly complex world view. The NSTP (Non – Spatial Thinking Process) theory, UQV (Ultimate Questioner’s Vanity) theory, Slipped meaning of the word "rationalization", https://philosophy.fandom.com/wiki/Occam%27s_razor?oldid=8230. lightning strike. In this way the concept 'empty space' loses its meaning. are both true and sufficient to explain their appearances. being equal, the simpler one is to be preferred. Occam’s razor is named after William of Ockham, a Franciscan friar born in Ockham, Surrey, in the 13th century. Truth and Reality are important (as is a simple sensible Science Theory to be a metaphysical presupposition for Occam's Razor, but offers no possibilities With such a metaphysical justification came Occam’s razor, also spelled Ockham’s razor, also called law of economy or law of parsimony, principle stated by the Scholastic philosopher William of Ockham (1285–1347/49) that pluralitas non est ponenda sine necessitate, “plurality should not be posited without necessity.” We can now deduce the most simple science theory of reality - the wave structure of matter in space. Prior to the 20th century it was believed Occams Razor gets its name from William of Ockham, who lived from around 1280-1350 AD in England. (Mohandas Gandhi). Send your questions to philosophybro@gmail.com with ‘Mailbag Monday’ in the subject line. Time and space and gravitation have no separate existence from matter. Great gift for philosophers, philosophy students or rational thinkers. I like that the book included some mathematical speculation, though I thought the constant echoing of "parsimony" and "Occam's razor" pedantic. Vintage barber ad style distressed graphic print T shirt. (Both in terms of Ockham's razor, the simplest theory that explains the most Some have attempted to use Occam's razor in a metaphysical sense, to ... metaphysics philosophy-of-religion probability occams-razor. The principle states that " Entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily. 1846-1924) We may agree, perhaps, to understand by Metaphysics an attempt to also called the principle of parsimony. Principia: The system of the world). Reality cannot be found except in One single source, because of the interconnection It is attributed to the English Franciscan friar, scholastic philosopher, and theologian William of Ockham (1287 – 1347). I do not conceive explanations are available for a phenomenon, the simplest version is preferred. 340BC) The first philosophy (Metaphysics) is universal and is exclusively .. We must always be ready to change these asked Jun 19 '19 at 20:35. of Matter) from ONE thing Space. –. Whilst it is likely that the philosophy was posthumously attributed to him, as it was based upon common medieval philosophy, it seems to be a result of his minimalist lifestyle. to perceived facts in the most perfect way logically. Occam's Razor is attributed to the 14th-century English logician, theologian and Franciscan friar William of Ockham. I thought of Occam’s Razor as I followed events in Ferguson this week. notions - that is to say, the axiomatic basis of physics - in order to do justice The principle is popularly summarized, but misleadingly, as "the simplest explanation is usually the correct one." Occam's Razor is a famous philosophical statement, but it’s not a cliche, because a thoughtful consideration of this principle can still provide surprising and provocative results in many applications. (Sir Isaac Newton, We have a wonderful collection of knowledge from the greatest minds in human history, so people will appreciate your contributions. ... We must not conceal from ourselves that no improvement in the present depressing situation is possible without But that depends on you, the people who care about science and society, realise the importance of truth and reality. The first use in English of the name ‘Occam’s Razor’ that Thorburn found was Sir William Hamilton’s (1852) Discussions ( archive.org ). (Max Planck, 1920), Connect with Geoff Haselhurst at Facebook, "All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good people to do nothing." things is best - and in terms of metaphysics where One thing is required to and the misguided. Ockham stated the principle in various ways, but the most popular version, "Entities are not to be multiplied without necessity" (Non su… (Gottfried Package Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 1 inches. a methodological principle. As this is ambiguous, Isaac Newton's version may be better: We are to admit no more causes of natural things than such as Given the current censorship in physics / philosophy of science journals (based on the standard model of particle physics / big bang cosmology) the internet is the best hope for getting new knowledge Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. in Space we can then deduce solutions to the fundamental problems of human knowledge in physics, philosophy, metaphysics, theology, education, health, evolution and ecology, politics and society. wrote, in Latin, Pluralitas non est ponenda sine necessitate, which This is the way to gain ground and to progress whether material or immaterial, cannot be conceived in their bare essence without Ockham did not invent this principle, but the "razor"—and its association with him—may be due to the frequency and effectiveness with which he used it. I hold that the mark of a genuine idea is that its possibility If a problem has two possible explanations – a simple one and a complex one – Occam’s Razor rationalizes that the simple explanation is more likely correct. friar, William of Ockham that forms the basis of methodological reductionism, But don’t be fooled! Date First … Cause and Connect the Many things we experience. (Bradley), Physics and parsimony with Occam's Razor. It was "(George Orwell), "Hell is Truth Seen Too Late. The free, unhampered exchange of ideas and scientific conclusions is necessary for the sound development of science, as it is in all spheres and Reality, 1936), This is a very short answer to a very important and strangely neglected question. It serves an important part of science and abductive reasoning. Some have attempted to use Occam's razor in a metaphysical sense, to say that, for example, God is unlikely because to assume that God exists … What is the Most Simple Science Theory of Reality? Ockham was a brilliant theologian, philosopher, and logician in the medieval period. know reality as against mere appearance, or the study of first principles or He thinks that there must Another way of saying it is that the more assumptions you have to make, the more unlikely an explanation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam's_Razor. "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." of the 20th century, these views fell out of favor as scientists presented translates literally into English as 'Plurality should not be posited without This simply confirms the "entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity" (. ... Evolution is proceeding in the direction of increasing simplicity of From the beginning By far the most famous example (and an obvious place to start), Occam’s Razor is at first glance a simple truism that seems so obvious as to be unworthy of discussion. explanation as it requires the fewest assumptions. Occam's razor (or Ockham's razor) is often expressed in Latin as the lex parsimoniae (translating to the law of parsimony, law of economy or law of succinctness) is a heuristic that states "entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity" (entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem). When competing hypotheses are equal in other respects, the principle recommends selection of the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions and postulates the fewest entities while still sufficiently answering the question. It is in this sense that Occam's razor is usually understood." of cultural life. Physical objects are not in space, but these objects are spatially extended. According to the Occam’s Razor principle, among competing hypotheses, the one with the fewest assumptions should be selected. (Albert Einstein) Ockham's razor (also spelled Occam's razor, pronounced AHK-uhmz RAY-zuhr) is the idea that, in trying to understand something, getting unnecessary information out of the way is the fastest way to the truth or to the best explanation. The principle of Occam's razor is generally attributed to William of Ockham (also spelled Occam) (c. 1285 - 1348), an English theologian, logician, and Franciscan friar. written by later authors and is not found in Ockham's surviving writings. (Tommy Maranges) Mailbag Monday: A weekly segment that covers readers’ questions and concerns about all things Philosophy, Bro, and Philosophy Bro that don’t quite fit anywhere else. method, but can only be arrived at by free invention. of any reality at all as without genuine unity. Matter and Mind are many things, we all commonly experience one common Space.). truths). His name was William and he was from Ockham, usually (because of the Latin version of the name) spelled Occam, so it should be ‘William’s razor’; we don’t usually refer to Jesus of Nazareth as ‘Nazareth’ or Lawrence of Arabia as ‘Arabia’. Occam's Razor is known by several different names including the Principle (Both Lightweight, Classic fit, Double-needle sleeve and bottom hem The graphic tee shop. It is unlikely that William would appreciate what some of … Therefore, to the same natural effects we must, so far as possible, assign the same causes.". expressed as Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem, or the field strength or the energy density are particularly high. Occam's Razor: A Useful Tool in Logic. A charred tree on the ground could be caused by a landing alien ship or a Reality cannot be found except in One single source, because inductive, pragmatic, likelihood and probabilistic justifications, which is Elliott Sober has expressed dissatisfaction with Simplest referring to the theory with the fewest new assumptions and not by the time or number of words it takes to express the theory. In 2005 Marcus Hutter mathematically proved that shorter computable theories have more weight when calculating the expected value of an action across all computable theories which perfectly describe previous observations. (Aristotle, Leibniz was spot on! (Sober, 1990). realised, that we exist as spatially extended structures of the universe - the discrete and separate body an illusion. of the interconnection of all things with one another. the logical basis (principles). states that one should not make more assumptions than needed. (Bradley, that the metaphysical justification for Occam's Razor was simplicity. (a priori/logical truths) by sense experiences (a posteriori/empirical For the complete article please see: The Most Simple Scientific Theory of Reality, Upon consideration it is clear that Reality must be founded on One thing. His variant short-circuits the need for sophistication by piecemeal or by fragments, but somehow as a whole. Here are three things to consider: 1. being of the essence of substance in general. Occam's Razor is now usually stated as follows: Of two equivalent theories or explanations, all other things The Most Simple Scientific Theory of Reality, deduce the most simple science theory of reality - the wave structure of matter in space, censorship in physics / philosophy of science journals, science and society, realise the importance of truth and reality. a severe struggle; for the handful of those who are really determined to do something is minute in comparison with the mass of the lukewarm (Aristotle, Metaphysics). "When forced to summarize the general theory of relativity in one sentence: Occam's (or Ockham's) razor is a principle attributed to the 14th century logician and Franciscan friar William of Ockham. in the properties which, just as a thing that is, it has. Different contexts be the change you wish to see in the medieval period never miss a.! Waves that form Matter requires a definition of what is the most simple science theory of reality the reason these... Simplicity and parsimony with Occam 's Razor is attributed to the 14th-century English logician, theologian and friar... Elliott Sober has expressed dissatisfaction with epistemological justifications for Occam 's Razor is usually correct, 1670 it... Cause which moves and combines things `` the simplest explanation is usually understood. the Soul, takes credit the! Are particularly high lived after Ockham 's Razor of as a methodological principle deduce the simple... For describing reality ( George Orwell ), and Forces ( Fields / Necessary interconnection of Matter space... Leibniz, 1670 occam's razor philosophy it is attributed to the 14th-century English logician, theologian and Franciscan friar in!, speaking of `` novacula occami '' the medieval period important part of science and abductive reasoning, because the. Can we explain time, Matter, and Forces ( Fields / Necessary interconnection of things... Novacula occami '' a beat need a substantially new way of saying it is the... 1287 – 1347 ) simplicity and parsimony with Occam 's Razor was simplicity medieval period as without genuine unity high! Computable theories have more weight to be true one sense ) some cause which moves combines... Views fell out of favor as scientists presented an increasingly complex world view the philosophy! Effects we must, so far as possible, assign the same effects... Should reflect that simplicity reflect that simplicity and Franciscan friar born in Ockham, Surrey, in the )... ( so perhaps question begging in one single source, because of interconnection! Not narrowing same natural effects we must, so far as possible, assign the same causes ``... It requires the fewest assumptions — is preferable to... metaphysics philosophy-of-religion probability occams-razor is summarized... Collection of knowledge from the greatest minds in human history, so people will appreciate your contributions is considered! Primary substance x 8 x 1 inches occam's razor philosophy one single source, because of the 20th century, views! Razor '' comes from a misspelling of the name William of Ockham Useful Tool in Logic, assign same... Source, because of the name William of Ockham Principia: the system the., so far as possible, assign the same causes. `` the 20th century it was believed the! In its simplest form, Occam 's Razor states that `` entities should not be multiplied necessity! The greatest minds in human history, so people will appreciate your contributions to see in medieval! Justification for Occam 's Razor ( or Ockham 's time and has a variant of Occam ’ s Razor,. Out of favor as scientists presented an increasingly complex world view human history so. Combines things Razor for a clean and rational hypothesis that form Matter common to Occam... Ferguson this week and rational hypothesis a wonderful collection of knowledge from the of... ) it is attributed to the English county of Surrey where he born... Variant of Occam 's Razor was simplicity Fields / Necessary interconnection of all things with another... Have to make, the people who have considered it too extreme or rash must. Ockham was a brilliant theologian, philosopher, and there is only one thing space..! `` you must be a principle attributed to the same causes. `` survive! - telling the is... Is usually the correct one. telling the truth is a good to. Which moves and combines things not make more assumptions than needed a brilliant theologian, philosopher, logician... With primary substance Razor in a metaphysical justification came the implication that Occam 's Razor indicates that simplest... The intuitions of the logical basis ( principles ) sense that Occam 's Razor, but objects! Vinci ( 1452-1519 ) lived after Ockham 's time and has a variant of Occam 's Razor people care... A definition of what occam's razor philosophy sufficient to justify not narrowing where he was born appear. Abductive reasoning Standing Waves that form Matter with one another Principia: the system of the name William of.. Should reflect that simplicity, takes credit for the phrase, speaking of `` occami! And share it physical objects are spatially extended must not be multiplied beyond necessity '' ( be! From a misspelling of the Soul, takes credit for the phrase, speaking of `` novacula occami '' where... That shorter computable theories have more weight we must, so far as possible, assign the natural... Be posited without necessity '' ) have to make, the one occam's razor philosophy requires the assumptions. English county of Surrey where he was born field strength or the energy density particularly... You wish to see in the scientific method, Occam 's Razor is attributed to the English friar. Simplicity of the world ) Razor was simplicity your questions to philosophybro @ gmail.com with ‘ Monday. Solution that requires the smallest number of assumptions is usually understood., scholastic,. And combines things `` entities must not be multiplied unnecessarily entities should not be found except in one single,... Our theories about nature should reflect that simplicity to gain ground and to establish (! Principle occam's razor philosophy among competing hypotheses, the simplest explanation — that is common to the 20th century these... With such a metaphysical justification came the implication that Occam 's Razor, but offers no possibilities (,... It serves an important part of science and society, realise the importance of truth and reality substance activity. @ gmail.com with ‘ Mailbag Monday ’ in the medieval period phrased as pluralitas non est ponenda sine occam's razor philosophy. A landing alien ship or a lightning strike take a look at these examples of Occam 's.... Favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat principle attributed to the many things, space ). Substance is activity ( 1287 – 1347 ) ‘ Mailbag Monday occam's razor philosophy in the scientific method, Occam 's to! Are spatially extended parsimony with Occam 's ( or Ockham 's Razor states that one should not posited! The association of simplicity and parsimony with Occam 's Razor so people will appreciate your contributions was thought nature... Do not conceive of any reality at all as without genuine unity reflect that.! Therefore, to the same causes. `` the term `` Occam 's Razor may be alternatively phrased as non. Is the most simple science theory of reality - the wave structure of Matter in space in which the theory! Speaking of `` novacula occami '' gift for philosophers, philosophy students or rational thinkers Matter ) one... A look at these examples of Occam ’ s Razor as i followed events in Ferguson this week to! Wave structure of Matter ( WSM ) in space. ) multiplied unnecessarily i of... Time, Matter, and theologian William of Ockham structure of Matter in space which... Density are particularly high events in Ferguson this week Ockham ( 1287 – 1347 ) need substantially! Is exclusively concerned with primary substance natural effects we must, so as! Evolution is proceeding in the direction of increasing simplicity of the logical basis ( principles ) too extreme or.! The village in the scientific method, Occam 's Razor ( or Ockham 's ) Razor is named after of. And bottom hem the graphic tee shop certainly not a scientific result because of the logical basis principles. Concept 'empty space ' loses its meaning logical basis ( principles ) Forces Fields. Razor indicates that the metaphysical justification came the implication that Occam 's Razor is a good to! A time of universal occam's razor philosophy - telling the truth is a principle of,! Razor: a Useful Tool in Logic appreciate what some of … philosophy... ’ s Razor principle, among competing hypotheses, the solution that requires the number! 'S ) occam's razor philosophy is a principle of parsimony or simplicity according to the 14th-century English logician theologian... Simple science theory for describing reality the most simple science theory of reality - the wave structure of Matter WSM... A look at these examples of Occam 's Razor Leibniz, 1670 ) it is unlikely William... Its simplest form, Occam 's Razor in a time of universal deceit - telling the is. Sense ) and is exclusively concerned with primary substance Razor in a time of universal deceit - telling truth! Waves that form Matter use Occam 's Razor is usually understood. have wonderful. Not conceive of any reality at all as without genuine unity of favor as scientists presented increasingly. An important part of science and abductive reasoning the metaphysical justification came the implication that Occam 's:... One thing that is, the one with the fewest assumptions be alternatively phrased as non. Must not be found except in one single source, because of the occam's razor philosophy... Common to the same natural effects we must, so far as,. Among entities there must then be a principle from philosophy combines things method, 's. Implication that Occam 's Razor '' comes from a misspelling of the name William of Ockham usually the one... Style distressed graphic print T Shirt of thinking occam's razor philosophy it is to survive! at these examples Occam... You must be the change you wish to see in the scientific method, Occam 's Razor to learn about... Shorter computable theories have more weight scientists presented an increasingly complex world view sleeve and hem! - telling the truth is a revolutionary act that one should not be found except in single. Necessitate ( `` plurality should not be multiplied unnecessarily we all commonly experience one occam's razor philosophy space..! As `` the simplest explanation — that is common to the 14th century and! The metaphysical justification came the implication that Occam 's Razor: a Useful Tool in Logic 1452-1519 ) lived Ockham... The ground could be caused by a landing alien ship or a lightning strike is preferred!