Which of the following most closely expresses the principle of Occam's razor as it applies to theoretical explanations of physical phenomena?
A) The theory that has the longest history is the most likely explanation.
B) The theory requiring the most assumptions is the most likely explanation.
C) The newest theory is most likely to be the correct one.
D) The theory requiring the fewest assumptions is the most likely explanation.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Occam's razor states that the simplest explanation that can account for all the known facts is the most likely to be correct. In other words, the theory that requires the fewest assumptions is the most likely explanation. This is also known as the principle of parsimony. The other options (A, B, and C) do not accurately reflect Occam's razor.

Which of the Following Most Closely Expresses the Principle of Occam's