William Of Ockham Quotes & Sayings

When you have two competing theories that make exactly the same predictions, the simpler one is the better. — William Of Ockham

Entities should not be posited unnecessarily. — William Of Ockham

Simpler explanations are, other things being equal, generally better than more complex ones. — William Of Ockham

Entities are not to be multiplied beyond necessity. — William Of Ockham

Plurality is not to be posited without necessity. — William Of Ockham

For nothing ought to be posited without a reason given, unless it is self-evident (literally, known through itself) or known by experience or proved by the authority of Sacred Scripture. — William Of Ockham

Plurality should not be assumed without necessity. — William Of Ockham

Keep things simple. — William Of Ockham

My God is
the green tide in the spring leaves
the redness of cherries high in the air
the excitement of shooting stars
the song of birds in summer branches
the sunrise on a winter's morning
the name of everything we don't understand ... — William Of Ockham

God's existence cannot be deduced by reason alone. — William Of Ockham

Whenever two hypotheses cover the facts, use the simpler of the two. — William Of Ockham

Pluralitas non est ponenda sine neccesitate. (Entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily.) — William Of Ockham

With all things being equal, the simplest explanation tends to be the right one. — William Of Ockham

Entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity. — William Of Ockham

First it must be known that only a spoken word or a conventional sign is an equivocal or univocal term; therefore a mental contentor concept is, strictly speaking, neither equivocal nor univocal. — William Of Ockham

Intuitive cognition of a thing is cognition that enables us to know whether the thing exists or does not exist, in such a way that, if the thing exists, then the intellect immediately judges that it exists and evidently knows that it exists, unless the judgment happens to be impeded through the imperfection of this cognition. — William Of Ockham

The simplest explanation is usually the right one — William Of Ockham

Of two equivalent theories or explanations, all other things being equal, the simpler one is to be preferred. — William Of Ockham

Never increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of entities required to explain anything. — William Of Ockham

3 is a prime, 5 is a prime, and 7 is a prime. Why bother with non-prime numbers when the primes can do everything? — William Of Ockham

All things being equal, the simplest solution tends to be the best one. — William Of Ockham

The explanation requiring the fewest assumptions is most likely to be correct. — William Of Ockham