Occam's Razor

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that Occam's Razor, which was not invented by Occam, appears to have been changed and adapted through time into numerous variations, but this theory is generally represented as the principal of always preferring the simplest explanation of events to any other explanation. The author explains that many people attempt to apply Occam's Razor to "alternative history" or "conspiracy" theories as a form of discounting them; for example, claiming that the moon landing was a hoax is a far more complicated explanation than the actual landing would be. The paper applies the Occam's Razor to the mystery that pyramids, which are found around the world, have nearly identical properties.

From the Paper:

"The easiest place to see this difficulty of translation is with the issue of whether, at some point in the past, intelligent life forms have landed on earth. On the surface, the application of Occam's Razor would seem to make alien visitation a poor belief, because history can be explained without an alien presence, and therefore their introduction into the narrative is nothing more or less than the an unnecessary hypothesis which should be stricken. Alien intervention seems very complicated, and should therefore be discounted. However, if one takes a closer look at the arguments for an alien visit, one might argue quiet the opposite -- that alien or supernatural intervention of some unknown sort is actually the simplest explanation for a variety of events."

More papers on Occam's Razor:

• Analytical Essay # 121470 : "Occam's Razor" and "Hidden Persuaders"
• Book Review # 50587 : "Character Development in "The Razor's Edge"
• Book Review # 129115 : "Paranoid Schizophrenia in "The Tell-Tale Heart"

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