What is Occum's Razor?

Occum's Razor is a useful scientific heuristic that helps us to differentiate between one theory and another

Specifically, Occum's Razor simply states that "entities should not be multiplied without necessity." What does this mean and how is it useful?

  1. it means that, all things being equal, if you have Theory A and Theory B and they both apply to Universe C, and Theory A is simpler, Theory A wins.
  2. it means that, all things being equal, if you have Theory A and Theory B and they both apply to Universe C, but Theory A applies to Universe D as well, and Theory A is equal to or simpler than B, Theory A wins.

This is relevant to systems thinking and DSRP because it can be used as one of several heuristics to determine the veracity and validity of various claims of universality and as a tool for comparison of DSRP Theory and its challengers.