Occam's Razor

Occam's Razor is named for William of Ockham, an English Franciscan friar, logician and theologian. His writings on limiting plurality in arguments has been transformative in the history of science, reason, and medicine. While the heuristic that bears his name is very useful, it should not be seen as a substitute for good empirical testing. It relies on subjective assessment of simplicity, rather than an objective tests in evaluating arguments.

I've borrowed heavily from the Wikpedia articles on Occam's razor and William of Ockham. Howstuffworks was also helpful.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam%27s_razor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_of_Ockham
http://people.howstuffworks.com/occams-razor.htm

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Occam
• Razor
• Ockham
• parsimony
• logic
• reason
• simplicity
• medical
• zebra
• UFO
• evolution
• creationism
• ID

[gogolplex74]

why was Occam christian then?

[C0nc0rdance]

@gogolplex74

You can read the answer in his own words, if you can find one of his four essays on theology, (De corpore christi, Centilogium). It's worth noting that he wrote these during the height of the Spanish Inquisition (around 1494), when expressing doubts about Christianity could get one introduced to sharp and pointy implements.

Many people entered the monastery as a way of leading a life of scholarship. I don't think William was anything more than a product of his time.

[C0nc0rdance]

@KaylaMarieBrown

Kayla, your energy and enthusiasm are appreciated, but your confidence in your level of knowledge is misplaced. I suggest you locate a well-stocked university library near you and do a little reading in science journals. I'd recommend Nature or Science or Cell. Real researchers use evolution every day as a useful model for how and why genetic markers change over time.  You can read about their research on the topic.

Think for yourself... it's a marvelous freedom.

[Gnomefro]

@Intellectual4God With regards to gods, however, there is no evidence even for monotheism, so with a modern understanding of nature, Occam's razor would lead you to atheism, not monotheism.

But again, Occam's razor doesn't prove anything. It just reduces some people's tendency to make shit up, and then start discussing the implications of that shit, making up further nonsense in the process. Call it a tendency to do theology if you will.

[98wq1]

@FuckYouLetMeLogIn You're right, it's just most people take it that way. More philosophers after Occam interpreted it that way. Like Thomas Hobbes.

[ASwiftHippie]

Why does Walter of Caden look like Darth Sidious from Star Wars lol? The painter must not like him very well.

[DaToNyOyO]

@Intellectual4God That only works logically if you begin with the assumption that there are deities in existence; which is a faulty assumption as there is no physical evidence of such and all known things can exist without external influence from such beings.

[unprofessionalvids]

@gogolplex74 cos he was dumb

[LolZ4LifE456]

TROLL TIME

So by the logic of Occams' razor, when we pull the trigger on a rifle nothing should happen? When you breathe in O2 absolutely nothing should come out? The earth is simply flat, rather than a cylindrical object with a gravitational field due to the moon orbiting it which has allowed it to develop a sn atmosphere and thus life? lol

[Intellectual4God]

So by logic of Occams razor we can deduct that there is not multiple Gods, disproving polytheism as one could do the job so two or more isnt necessary

This also would show that God does not have a designer as it is not necessary since he is non temporal and therefore has no beginning so it is going beyond necessity to make a creator for him.

Hmm, very nice vid.

[LilFaerl]

"When you hear hoofbeats think horses not zebras" that sure depends on where you are. When you hear hoofbeats think hooft animals not horses or zebras.

[Dendroaspis2012]

Good Stuff... Very Professional... I am a retired scientist (Physicist in Medical Research)... I have studied a great deal of Philosophies. Always had this stuff on the back burner. Today I decided to have a look to see what's new. Thanks and Best Wishes!