concept
also: Philosophy
Occam's Razor
When several explanations fit, prefer the simplest one.
Origin
Attributed to the 14th-century English friar William of Ockham, though he never wrote the principle in the form we use today. The 'razor' shaves away unnecessary assumptions. It is a heuristic, not a law — sometimes the complicated explanation is right.
Modern usage
Reached for constantly in debugging, medical diagnosis, and conspiracy debates. 'Occam's razor says it's incompetence, not conspiracy.'