Do Not Revise Ockham's Razor Without Necessity. (7th September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Baron, Sam; Tallant, Jonathan
• Is Part Of: Philosophy and phenomenological research. Volume 96:Number 3(2018)
• Page Start: 596
• Page End: 619
• Publication Date: 2016-09-07
• Subjects: Philosophy -- Periodicals; Phenomenology -- Periodicals; 100
• DOI: 10.1111/phpr.12337
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-8205

Abstract

Abstract : Ockham's razor asks that we not multiply entities beyond necessity. The razor is a powerful methodological tool, enabling us to articulate reasons for preferring one theory to another. There are those, however, who would modify the razor. Schaffer (2010: 313—our italics), for one, tells us that, 'I think the proper rendering of Ockham's razor should be 'Do not multiply fundamental entities without necessity''. Our aim, here, is to challenge such re‐workings of Ockham's razor.