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Occam's razor is merely a heuristic, not a part of the scientific method. Its usefulness is debated in philosophy of science, and also in a practical sense in t
by andreasvc 14y ago
Occam's razor is merely a heuristic, not a part of the scientific method. Its usefulness is debated in philosophy of science, and also in a practical sense in the context of machine learning; their conclusion is that it could very well be false.
- andreasvc 14y agoCf. Domingos (1999): "Occam’s razor has been interpreted in two quite different ways. The first interpretation (simplicity is a goal in itself) is essentially correct, but is at heart a preference for more comprehensible models. The second interpretation (simplicity leads to greater accuracy) is much more problematic. A critical review of the theoretical arguments for and against it shows that it is unfounded as a universal principle, and demonstrably false. A review of empirical evidence shows that it also fails as a practical heuristic." http://reference.kfupm.edu.sa/content/r/o/the_role_of_occam___s_razor_in_knowledge_100134.pdf http://reference.kfupm.edu.sa/content/r/o/the_role_of_occam_...