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What is Occam’s Razor?

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Chapter General Science, Mathematics, and Technology

Occam’s Razor is the scientific doctrine that states that “entities must not be multiplied beyond what is necessary”; it proposes that a problem should be stated in its basic and simplest terms. In scientific terms, it states that the simplest theory that fits the facts of a problem should be the one selected. Credit for outlining the law is usually given to William Occam (c. 1248–c. 1348), an English philosopher and theologian. This concept is also known as the principle of parsimony or the economy principle.

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