On 12-Oct-04 David SMITH wrote:
Randall R Schulz wrote:
Occam's razor: Don't posit insanity (or sociopathy) when forgetfulness (clumsiness) will explain the symptoms.
That's Hanlon's Razor: "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity", although it is an extension of Occam's Razor.
Occam's Razor is: "one should not increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of entities required to explain anything". i.e. keep it simple.
To which I would add what I call "Occam's Beard" (usefully applicable
especially in Biology, though by no means out of place in Human
Behaviour):
"If it's a conceivable possibility, then somewhere in the world
it happens."
Best wishes to all,
Ted.
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E-Mail: (Ted Harding)