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comment by Pribnow

Occam's Razor actually is a scientific standard, at least in some branches. Phylogeny is a great example:

http://www.mun.ca/biology/scarr/2900_Parsimony_Analysis.htm





overman  ·  3709 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Well sure, in specific areas of data analysis. But most people I find think Occam's razor can be applied much more broadly. Example: 'The sky is blue, water is blue, therefore the sky is made of water. This is the correct answer because it's the simplest explanation.'

b_b  ·  3709 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Dude, I'm pretty sure you don't understand what Occam's razor is.

humanodon  ·  3709 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Yeah, that's more of a false syllogism.

overman  ·  3708 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I absolutely do understand what it is, it's others who don't and thus use it incorrectly.

Pribnow  ·  3709 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I guess a lot of people do ignore the fact that the simplest explanation is only the best when it's not less descriptively/predictively robust than a less simple one.