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begin minor rant... Occam's razor is misused in the manifesto. The author indicates that it means "Prefer simple solutions", which it doesn't. Occam's razor r
by crazydoggers 10y ago
begin minor rant...
Occam's razor is misused in the manifesto. The author indicates that it means "Prefer simple solutions", which it doesn't.
Occam's razor requires a hypothesis, and generally means "Among competing hypotheses, the one with the fewest assumptions should be selected".
For example, Special Relativity is exceedingly complex, especially if I try to explain it to you. Ontologically though (in actual fact), it's the "simplest" solution to explain the real world data that the speed of light is fixed regardless of reference frame. I could come up with other theories to explain the data that might be "simpler" in explanation, but they require more and more assumptions to be made about the real world. For example, I could say that the speed of light is fixed because aliens cause all of our testing apparatus to show the same reading. For sure, that's a much simpler explanation than explaining Special Relativity. But it rests on a whole huge number of assumptions (like aliens existing, that the aliens want to mess with us, that they have the capability of doing so, etc, etc). So here Occam's razor favors the more complex theory because it makes fewer assumptions.
So saying that something is better because it's simpler and then justifying it with Occam's razor is really an abuse of the concept.
... end rant
- pvg 10y agoThis is a pretty poor example since Special Relativity is not 'exceedingly complex' and as a theory that explains things observed in the real world it's drastically simpler than a theory postulating unobserved aliens.
- crazydoggers 10y agoSorry... I should have been clearer. You're correct, and it is indeed why Occam's razor correctly applied would rule out the alien theory. What I meant specifically, was that its syntax is more complex, but its ontology is simpler as you describe. In other words it's the explaining part that's more complex, so it seems more complex on the surface. So if you asked the average person on the street which theory was easier to understand, I'm guessing most would say the alien theory. So when you use a description like "simpler" as the author did, you can be confused as to what is "simpler". There's been a lot written on this subject that's hard to do justice here: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/simplicity/ http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/simplicity/
- throwaway5431 10y agoWell, actually... http://tirania.org/blog/archive/2011/Feb-17.html http://tirania.org/blog/archive/2011/Feb-17.html
- crazydoggers 10y agoLol... maybe you're not. The author invited comment directly by using a scientific/philosophical principle in his story. If you mention Occam's razor as a reason your argument is correct, and you completely get that wrong, you stand to be corrected. So if you want to sound smart by using scientific terminology you don't understand, the scientists are going to call you on it, and that's not being pedantic.
- klibertp 10y agoWrong. I'd explain why, but then I'd be called a "well-actualista".