principle of parsimony
- noun
- /ˈprɪnsəpəl əv ˈpɑːrsɪmoʊni/
- Formal
:
principio de parsimonia
- Applying the principle of parsimony, researchers often favor straightforward hypotheses over more elaborate alternatives.
Examples
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So Occam's razor here, AKA the principle of parsimony or the law of parsimony.
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The principle of parsimony guides scientists to choose theories with the fewest assumptions when explaining phenomena.
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Without the principle of parsimony, what would we do?
Blog text (17) -
No principle of parsimony, no test, no possible falsification.
Blog text (19) -
In scientific research, the principle of parsimony suggests that simpler explanations are often more credible than complex ones.
Synonyms
3
8.0
A rule that prefers the simplest explanation with the fewest assumptions
A rule that says to choose the simplest explanation with the fewest assumptions
A rule that prefers the simplest explanation when other facts are equal
Surface Forms
Morphology
principle + of + parsimony
The phrase is compositionally built: 'principle' = a guiding rule and 'parsimony' = frugality/simplicity, so together they denote a rule favoring the simplest explanation. This meaning is directly derivable from the constituent meanings (and mirrors cross-linguistic formulations such as Occam's razor), so a learner who knows both words would understand it.
Etymology
Principle of parsimony comes from the image of a razor that shaves away extra ideas and leaves only what is needed. So, like that razor cutting away the unneeded parts, the phrase tells us to choose the 'simplest' explanation with the 'fewest assumptions'.