It's Not So Simple: The Role of Simplicity in Science and Theory.
Paul Tudico, who is largely responsible for my choice to pursue Philosophy. Leslie MacAvoy, without whom I would not be an HID student. Karen Kornweibel, for believing in me. Rebecca Pyles, for believing in me. Gary Henson and Allen Coates, for offering their time to serve as readers. Marie Graves, for her tolerance throughout the innumerable years of my education. 1 1. INTRODUCTION AND MOTIVATION Occasionally a term so integrates into our way of thought that we take its implications for granted. Years of use and abuse muddle its meaning and fray the edges of its semantic boundaries. Simple is one such term. Subjectively, what appears simple to one is complex to another; Einstein certainly found particular equations simple that I have not. Simplicity sometimes entices, as with the simple solution, but other times marks incompetence—nobody wants to be called simple. Sometimes simplicity is termed parsimony and other times elegance. Additionally, it is often unclear whether simple maintains connotation in cross-disciplinary dialogue, or whether each camp employs some proprietary notion. Part of the project of philosophy is to bring clarity to confusion; this paper, in a small way, contributes to that cause. Certainly, the most widely known formulation of a principle of simplicity 1 is Ockham's Razor. Though the nomenclature is spurious, given that there is no evidence that Ockham put forth his own axiom of parsimony, 2 he did nonetheless espouse a version of simplicity something like: Plurality is not to be assumed without necessity. Or What can be done with fewer [assumptions] is done in vain with more. (Barnes 2000) 1 Unless as noted in the discussion, I use simplicity and parsimony interchangeably. 2 Perhaps some find this assertion as surprising as I did, so a note is in order. I came across several sources in my research that make this claim or allusions to the same; for more information see the endnotes of Barnes (2000, 371) where he refers to Edward's (1967, 307) discussion of the issue in The Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2 This idea, now attributed to Ockham, has had several proponents, each with their own proprietary formulation. 3 Aristotle writes: We may assume the superiority [all other things being equal] of the demonstration which derives from fewer postulates or hypotheses (Posterior Analytics 25) Aquinas echoes this, saying: If a thing can be done adequately by means of one it is superfluous to do it by …