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Full Idea
Do not multiply entities beyond necessity.
Clarification
'entities' are things that exist (so, 'don't be fanciful; keep it simple')
Gist of Idea
Do not multiply entities beyond necessity
Source
William of Ockham (works [1335])
A Reaction
This is the classic statement of Ockham's Razor, though it is not found in his printed works. It appears to be mainly aimed at Plato's Theory of Forms. It is taken to refer to types of entities, not numbers. One seraph is as bad as a hundred.
Related Idea
Idea 16676 Why use more things when fewer will do? [William of Ockham]
| 6806 | Do not multiply entities beyond necessity [William of Ockham] |
| 22132 | Species and genera are individual concepts which naturally signify many individuals [William of Ockham] |
| 8010 | William of Ockham is the main spokesman for God's commands being the source of morality [William of Ockham] |
| 16679 | Even an angel must have some location [William of Ockham, by Pasnau] |
| 19381 | The past has ceased to exist, and the future does not yet exist, so time does not exist [William of Ockham] |