The intriguing term “Occam’s Razor” comes from the name of the medieval philosopher William of Ockham (1287-1347), an English friar and scholar from Ockham, a village in Surrey, England. Ockham was a prominent figure in the development of nominalism, a philosophical school that emphasised individual entities and rejected universals.
The term “razor” was added later, metaphorically describing the principle’s ability to “shave away” unnecessary complexity and cut through to the simplest explanation.
Occam’s Razor is a philosophical principle that states: “Entities should not be multiplied beyond necessity.” In simpler terms, it means: “Simplify and prefer the most straightforward explanation.”
In philosophy, Occam’s razor (also spelled Ockham’s razor or Ocham’s razor) is the problem-solving principle that recommends searching for explanations constructed with the smallest possible set of elements. It is also known as the principle of parsimony or the law of parsimony. Popularly, the principle is sometimes paraphrased as “The simplest explanation is usually the best one.”
The phrase “Occam’s Razor” was first used by the 17th-century philosopher and scientist Sir William Hamilton in his 1836 work “Lectures on Metaphysics and Logic.” Hamilton attributed the principle to Ockham, and the name stuck.
Ockham himself didn’t use the exact phrase, but his writings expressed the idea. In his work “Summa Totius Logicae” (c. 1323), Ockham wrote:
“Numquam ponenda est pluralitas sine necessitate” (“Plurality should not be posited without necessity”)
This phrase encapsulates the principle of Occam’s Razor, emphasising the importance of simplicity and avoiding unnecessary assumptions.
Over time, the term “Occam’s Razor” became widely accepted and is now a fundamental concept in philosophy, science, and critical thinking.
Here are some applications of Occam’s Razor:
- Science: Favour simple, testable hypotheses over complex, unproven ones.
- Problem-solving: Look for the most straightforward solution before considering more complicated options.
- Critical thinking: Be sceptical of elaborate explanations; instead, seek clear, concise answers.
- Medicine: Consider the most common diagnosis before exploring rare or complex conditions.
- Software development: Prefer simple, elegant code over convoluted, complex solutions.
- Philosophy: Favour parsimonious explanations for natural phenomena over elaborate, unproven theories.
- Everyday life: When faced with multiple explanations, choose the simplest one that still explains the facts.
By applying Occam’s Razor, we can:
- Avoid unnecessary complexity
- Increase clarity and understanding
- Make more accurate predictions and decisions
- Reduce cognitive bias and assumptions
- Improve critical thinking and problem-solving skills
We should, however, remember that Occam’s Razor is a guiding principle, not a hard-and-fast rule. Sometimes, complex explanations are necessary, but simplicity should always be the starting point.
Image: William of Ockham depicted on a stained glass window at All Saints’ Church, Ockham. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons.