Professional paper

Complexity of Simplicity

Ivan Restović ; Centre for Croatian Studies, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

This article concerns a principle which is widespread in all philosophical disciplines – Occam’s razor. It displays implications and overal analysis of principle in question. Undergoing detailed reasoning, it becomes clear that Occam’s razor is just one of the two types of simplicity, the other being elegance. Intention is to explore the limits of two types of simplicity being used, on one hand, to create a theory or, on the other hand, to evaluate which of the competing theories is “better one”. In anything but seldom philosophical manner, this article raises more questions than it answers.

Keywords

Occam’s razor; simplicity; parsimony; ontological parsimony; sintactical parsimony

Hrčak ID:

81057

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/81057

Publication date:

23.2.2012.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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