To think that if everybody applied Occam's Razor to every situation ........

[seeker]

.... there would be half the number of threads on Mumsnet, half the level of stress and unhappiness in the world, and life would generally be easier all round?

I think the internet encourages the reverse though. People seem determined to believe that the simple explanation cannot be true, and the ridiculous conspiracy theory must be.

Because, as the Leveson enquiry is making clear, Occams Razor does not lead to the correct answers when bad people are at large.

I thought Occam's Razor was: "entities should not be multiplied beyond necessity"?

Am trying to apply this to Mumsnet and (other than ttc threads, which are all about multiplying entities, regardless of necessity) drawing a blank...

but occams razor is so brutally abused.

have a read of abuse in skepticism on that link. it makes good points.

Or, to put it more simply- it is far more likely to be cock up than conspiracy.

"Because, as the Leveson enquiry is making clear, Occams Razor does not lead to the correct answers when bad people are at large."

It does, actually. Which is more likely- that this person is an egregious lying bastard, or that for the past X years, he simply failed to notice the corruption and illegal practices going on under his nose?"

Your/the theory is to simplistic for life.

However, MN is the place for assumptions based on limited personal experience and overthinking, so it wouldn't hurt to try to apply it every now and again.

Occams razor was also abused by the church to deny scientific advances.

it is far more likely to be cock up than conspiracy

But we need to examine the intricases, to understand how the cock up happened, to make sure that it doesn't happen again.

There are many causes to one effect.

It does, actually. Which is more likely- that this person is an egregious lying bastard, or that for the past X years, he simply failed to notice the corruption and illegal practices going on under his nose?"

That's now, in hindsight - before the wrongdoing was seen to be a deep conspiracy, Occams Razor would have led you to the " it's just cock ups" and at worst the "few rogues" point of view.

Apply the theory to the case of Stephen Lawerence or other tradegies. The answer may have been found, but the same happening again wouldn't be prevented.

Sometimes the journey is more important than reaching the end.

If we think about how we construct services for people, then the theory wouldn't work.

It does on some things, but not when dealing with human life/emotion etc.

Thisisyesterday- in your poltergeist example, Occam's Razor would not suggest an invisibly dug 50 yard tunnel. It would suggest trickery, or some naturally occurring phenomenon.

Occam's Razor reduces the drama in people's lives to an unacceptably low level. I mean, who wants fewer threads on Mumsnet?