- #1
sneez
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Occam's razor states that the explanation of any phenomenon should make as few assumptions as possible, eliminating those that make no difference in the observable predictions of the explanatory hypothesis or theory.
many ppl simplify this into "the simpliest explanation should be the correct one".
why this should hold? what is relationship of simplicity to "truth"/"reality". While its obvious that non-related assumptions to the problem should be eliminated, its not obvious that the simpliest explanation should be truth?
(i was thinking about this in connection to complexity theories, chaos theories. Yes, reductionism is powerfull tool (and only one we have) but why to limit ourselves? Many phenomena may be explored observing systems as whole and their interelated connectedness). (atmospheric dynamics comes to my mind as an example. Is just so well connected to bio,lito, hydro spheres, radiation, etc...)
many ppl simplify this into "the simpliest explanation should be the correct one".
why this should hold? what is relationship of simplicity to "truth"/"reality". While its obvious that non-related assumptions to the problem should be eliminated, its not obvious that the simpliest explanation should be truth?
(i was thinking about this in connection to complexity theories, chaos theories. Yes, reductionism is powerfull tool (and only one we have) but why to limit ourselves? Many phenomena may be explored observing systems as whole and their interelated connectedness). (atmospheric dynamics comes to my mind as an example. Is just so well connected to bio,lito, hydro spheres, radiation, etc...)