Universal Principles of Design, Revised and Updated

Ockham’s Razor

Given a choice between functionally equivalent designs, the simplest design should be selected.1

Ockham’s razor asserts that simplicity is preferred to complexity in design. Many variations of the principle exist, each adapted to address the particulars of a field or domain of knowledge. A few examples include:

•  “Entities should not be multiplied without necessity.”—William of Ockham

•  “That is better and more valuable which requires fewer, other circumstances being equal.”—Robert Grosseteste

•  “Nature operates in the shortest way possible.”—Aristotle

•  “We are to admit no more causes of natural things than such as are both true and sufficient to explain their appearances.”—Isaac Newton

•  “Everything should be made as simple ...