Razor (philosophy)
In philosophy, a razor is a principle or rule of thumb that allows one to eliminate ("shave off") unlikely explanations for a phenomenon.[1]
Razors include:
- Occam's razor: When faced with competing hypotheses, select the one that makes the fewest assumptions. Do not multiply necessities without good reason.
- Hanlon's razor: Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.[2]
- Hume's razor: "If the cause, assigned for any effect, be not sufficient to produce it, we must either reject that cause, or add to it such qualities as will give it a just proportion to the effect."[3][4]
- Hitchens's razor: The burden of proof or onus in a debate lies with the claim-maker, and if he or she does not meet it, the opponent does not need to argue against the unfounded claim.
- Newton's flaming laser sword (or Alder's razor): If something cannot be settled by experiment then it is not worthy of debate.
See also
References
- ↑ Garg, A. (17 May 2010). "Occam's razor". A.Word.A.Day. Retrieved 2014-02-25.
- ↑ "Hanlon's Razor". The Jargon File 4.4.7. Retrieved 2014-02-25.
- ↑ Miles, M. (2003). Inroads: Paths in Ancient and Modern Western Philosophy. University of Toronto Press. p. 543. ISBN 978-0802037442.
- ↑ Forrest, P. (2001). "Counting the cost of modal realism". In Preyer, G.; Siebelt, F. Reality and Humean Supervenience: Essays on the Philosophy of David Lewis. Studies in Epistemology and Cognitive Theory. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 93. ISBN 978-0742512016.