Single Idea 21021

[catalogued under 2. Reason / B. Laws of Thought / 6. Ockham's Razor]

Full Idea

One should always choose the weakest premises from which one's conclusion follows, rather than saddling the theory with thicker or more controversial premises.

Gist of Idea

Keep premises as weak as possible, to avoid controversial difficulties

Source

Martha Nussbaum (Creating Capabilities [2011], 8)

Book Reference

Nussbaum,Martha C.: 'Creating Capabilities' [Belknap Harvard 2013], p.150


A Reaction

I like this because it connects the rather vague Ockham's Razor to the logical concept of Thinning. The key point is that a thinner set of premises that prove something will be more persuasive, because critics may reject premises instead of conclusion.

Related Idea

Idea 13351 'Thinning' allows that if premisses entail a conclusion, then adding further premisses makes no difference [Bostock]