Occam's Razor
Occam's Razor states that among competing explanations, the one with the fewest assumptions should be preferred. It is not that the simplest explanation is always correct, but that unnecessary complexity should not be introduced without evidence.
Named after William of Ockham, a 14th-century friar, this principle is foundational in science, engineering, and everyday reasoning. It is one of several Razors — heuristics that help you shave away unlikely explanations.
Application
When debugging a problem, start with the simplest possible cause. Is the server down? Check if it's plugged in before examining the distributed system architecture.
In modeling, Occam's Razor reminds us that every assumption is a potential point of failure. This ties into Map is Not the Territory — the simpler the map, the less likely it is to mislead. It also complements First Principles Thinking: stripping away assumptions to find the core truth.
When evaluating someone else's motives, Hanlon's Razor applies the same spirit: prefer the simpler explanation (confusion) over the complex one (conspiracy).