Occam’s razor Optimization Foundations
noun phrase
Definition: A principle of theory construction or evaluation according to which, other things being equal, explanations that posit fewer entities or assumptions are to be preferred to those that posit more. Britannica gives this formulation and notes that the principle is often associated with parsimony in choosing between competing explanations [Britannica].
Example in context: “In the philosophy of induction, this can be motivated on the basis of Occam’s razor, which roughly states that simpler hypotheses are generally more better than complex alternatives.” [Stenseke 2024]
Synonym: principle of parsimony
Related terms: parsimony, model simplicity, model selection, hypothesis complexity