updated 23-July 1997 by Sugihara Hiroshi
original by Phil Gibbs 17-September 1996

What is Occam's Razor?

Excrete from the long version

Isaac Newton stated the rule: "We are to admit no more causes of natural things than such as are both true and sufficient to explain their appearances."

The most useful statement of the principle for scientists is,

"when you have two competing theories which make exactly the same predictions, the one that is simpler is the better."

Occam's razor, also known as the law of parsimony, or the law of simplicity is often quoted in stronger forms as in the following statements...

"If you have two theories which both explain the observed facts then you should use the simplest until more evidence comes along"

"The simplest explanation for some phenomenon is more likely to be accurate than more complicated explanations."

"If you have two equally likely solutions to a problem, pick the simplest."

"The explanation requiring the fewest assumptions is most likely to be correct."

... or in the only form which takes its own advice...
"Keep things simple!"

Aristotle who wrote "Nature operates in the shortest way possible."

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source: http://www.weburbia.com/physics/occam.html