Occam's Razor - It's a Life & Faith Principle

 

Occam's Razor has come up, randomly, in my life three times in the past week or two. When something random and almost obscure (obscure at least to non-physicists or non-geeks or laypeople - apparently I straddle the fence) comes up twice, I take pause. When it comes up three times, I really take notice and usually ponder some version of the following, "There's something here for me to learn. What is it?"

Prior to the Occam's threesome of late, I knew Occam's Razor had something to do with the following: The simplest explanation is probably the right one. But of course, I had to look it up. (What did we do before the internet? Oh, right. Libraries. Mmm. I like the smell of libraries.) Anyway. According to Principia Cybernetica Web,

Occam's razor is a logical principle attributed to the medieval philosopher William of Occam (or Ockham). The principle states that one should not make more assumptions than the minimum needed. This principle is often called the principle of parsimony. It underlies all scientific modeling and theory building. It admonishes us to choose from a set of otherwise equivalent models of a given phenomenon the simplest one. In any given model, Occam's razor helps us to "shave off" those concepts, variables or constructs that are not really needed to explain the phenomenon. By doing that, developing the model will become much easier, and there is less chance of introducing inconsistencies, ambiguities and redundancies.

I love scientists. Above they are explaining a principle, developed by some logician friar in the 14th century, that's main point is simplicity, and they're making it more complex than necessary. But if you just focus on one sentence above, it "shaves off" the unnecessary complexities. "It admonishes us to choose from a set of otherwise equivalent models of a given phenomenon the simplest one." Or, more precisely stated (and hence more apropos) from Phys NCKU, "when you have two competing theories that make exactly the same predictions, the simpler one is the better."

But how does this apply to me? I mean, this keeps coming up in my life and while I don't want to make meaning where there is none (Oh, come on! We all like to make meaning where there is none, don't we?!?) So....

I pondered this for a while. I pondered for a good 12 hours or so before mentioning it to Marcus. By the way, the conclusion I had drawn before talking with Marcus about it was that I was probably making things in my life too complex and a simplifying was likely in order, but I hadn't gotten to the crux of it yet...

Marcus said, and I'm paraphrasing of course, "Well. Lately you've been talking about money and not having enough. Maybe this keeps coming up in your life for you to simplify how you make money."

I responded as only a person who's very important life lesson is staring them in the face can by saying, "der, what do you mean, like just working for myself?" (I added the "der" postmortem, but it might as well have been there.)


He smiles. "Yeah. Well. It's simpler than that even. Just do what you love. Do all the things that you like to do and the money will come. That's the way it's worked in my life."

Duh. Like a fly swatter hitting me square in the forehead. Ow! That stings. I hate it when he's always right. I love it that he's usually right.

But if I were to apply this twist onto Occam's Razor, isn't that only part logic and physics and another large part faith? In other words, it's not just a physics or science principle, it's a life and faith principle.

Maybe all of physics is faith. Or at the very least intuition. Or both, really. (The two are intrinsically intertwined in my world anyway.) It has to be. Or it had to be at some point since physics is a relatively new science, at least in how we deal with it today. Though you can bet aboriginal human had figured trajectories, theories and all sorts of things we only now call modern physics. I bet they even had their own version of Occam's Razor.

So how can you apply Occam's Razor to your life? Comment. Weigh-in. You know how I love weigh-ins.

Me? I'm showing up here, writing my blog, recording music, and helping people wherever I can. Those seem to be my big three tenants to live by right now.

Music. Just put a new song on Katie Strand Music. It's one of my favorite Bob Dylan songs called To Make You Feel My Love - sentimental in such a good way. Sentimental the way greats like Bob Dylan know how to do really well and I do hope I've done justice to. Listen to this song. You may just want it played at your wedding.

Let me know what you think.

And remember to simplify. Occam says so.

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