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Single Idea 21688

[from 'On Simple Theories of a Complex World' by Willard Quine, in 14. Science / B. Scientific Theories / 1. Scientific Theory ]

Full Idea

We prefer simpler theories through wishful thinking, or a bias which slants the data, or a bias where the simpler hypothesis is more open to confirmation, or simpler hypotheses tolerating wider deviations in score-keeping.

Gist of Idea

There are four suspicious reasons why we prefer simpler theories

Source

Willard Quine (On Simple Theories of a Complex World [1960], p.258)

Book Reference

Quine,Willard: 'Ways of Paradox and other essays' [Harvard 1976], p.258


A Reaction

[a compression of his summary of the paper] Quine is not dismissing our preference for simpler theories, but just very nicely inviting us to focus of aspects about which we should be cautious.

Related Ideas

Idea 6805 Relativity ousted Newtonian mechanics despite a loss of simplicity [Bird]

Idea 15283 Simplicity can sort theories out, but still leaves an infinity of possibilities [Harré/Madden]