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When you have two competing theories that make exactly the same predictions, the simpler one is the better.
William of Ockham
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William of Ockham
Died: 1349
Died: April 9
Friar Franciscan
Logician
Philosopher
Physicist
Theologian
Ockham
Surrey
Guilelmus de Ockham
William of Occam
William of Oakham
Competing
Exactly
Theory
Two
Better
Make
Simpler
Predictions
Theories
More quotes by William of Ockham
Simpler explanations are, other things being equal, generally better than more complex ones.
William of Ockham
For nothing ought to be posited without a reason given, unless it is self-evident (literally, known through itself) or known by experience or proved by the authority of Sacred Scripture.
William of Ockham
God's existence cannot be deduced by reason alone.
William of Ockham
Entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity.
William of Ockham
Plurality should not be assumed without necessity.
William of Ockham
The explanation requiring the fewest assumptions is most likely to be correct.
William of Ockham
First it must be known that only a spoken word or a conventional sign is an equivocal or univocal term therefore a mental contentor concept is, strictly speaking, neither equivocal nor univocal.
William of Ockham
Plurality is not to be posited without necessity.
William of Ockham
Whenever two hypotheses cover the facts, use the simpler of the two.
William of Ockham
Entities are not to be multiplied beyond necessity.
William of Ockham
Never increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of entities required to explain anything.
William of Ockham
3 is a prime, 5 is a prime, and 7 is a prime. Why bother with non-prime numbers when the primes can do everything?
William of Ockham
Of two equivalent theories or explanations, all other things being equal, the simpler one is to be preferred.
William of Ockham
Intuitive cognition of a thing is cognition that enables us to know whether the thing exists or does not exist, in such a way that, if the thing exists, then the intellect immediately judges that it exists and evidently knows that it exists, unless the judgment happens to be impeded through the imperfection of this cognition.
William of Ockham
My God is the green tide in the spring leaves the redness of cherries high in the air the excitement of shooting stars the song of birds in summer branches the sunrise on a winter's morning the name of everything we don't understand.
William of Ockham
It is vain to do with more what can be done with less.
William of Ockham
Pluralitas non est ponenda sine necessitate. A plurality (of reasons) should not be posited without necessity.
William of Ockham
Entities should not be posited unnecessarily.
William of Ockham
Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem
William of Ockham
With all things being equal, the simplest explanation tends to be the right one.
William of Ockham
