Single Idea 2939

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

Full Idea

If a sign is useless it is meaningless. That is the point of Occam's maxim.

Clarification

Ockham's maxim is his famous 'Razor' - "do not multiply entities beyond necessity"

Gist of Idea

If a sign is useless it is meaningless; that is the point of Ockham's maxim

Source

Ludwig Wittgenstein (Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus [1921], 3.328)

Book Reference

Wittgenstein,Ludwig: 'Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (Pears)', ed/tr. Pears,D. /McGuinness,B. [RKP 1961], p.16