law of parsimony

American  

noun

Philosophy.

1. a principle according to which an explanation of a thing or event is made with the fewest possible assumptions.

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Usage

What is the law of parsimony? The law of parsimony is a principle that says that the best explanation is the one that requires you to make the fewest possible assumptions about what’s involved. Another way to say this is that the correct explanation or solution is usually the simplest. Parsimony means extreme frugality, or stinginess, and in this context it refers to being stingy with assumptions (by trying to avoid them). Law is used in the phrase to mean a rule or principle. The law of parsimony is also called Occam’s Razor, the law of economy, and the principle of economy. The law of parsimony is a general principle of logic, but most often you’ll see it used in discussions of complex scientific concepts, such as the theory of evolution.

Etymology

Origin of law of parsimony

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

A 14th-century philosopher and Franciscan friar, William is celebrated for developing the "law of parsimony," better known today as "Occam's razor."

From Time • Oct. 15, 2017

The premium on pith is enshrined in perhaps science's most important law, known as the law of parsimony, or Ockham's razor.

From Time Magazine Archive

No higher form of being than this can be needed, and so by the law of parsimony a hypothesis of any other must be excluded.

From Know the Truth; A critique of the Hamiltonian Theory of Limitation by Jones, Jesse H.

The propounder of natural selection might be expected to make the most of the principle, and to overwork the law of parsimony in its behalf.

From Darwiniana; Essays and Reviews Pertaining to Darwinism by Gray, Asa

It is what is known as the law of parsimony.

From The Doctrines of Predestination, Reprobation, and Election by Wallace, Robert