What is Occam's razor?
Quick Answer
Occam's razor is the principle that, among competing explanations, the one making the fewest assumptions should usually be preferred.
The Full Story
The idea is named after William of Ockham (c.1287–1347), an English Franciscan friar and philosopher. It is often summarised as 'entities should not be multiplied beyond necessity', although that exact wording does not appear in his surviving writings. The 'razor' shaves away unnecessary assumptions. Scientists use it as a rule of thumb when choosing between theories that explain the evidence equally well. It is a guide, not proof: sometimes the correct explanation turns out to be the more complicated one.
Key Facts
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"The simplest answer is usually right — but not always. The real story of Occam's razor."