Chad, it does not speak well of you that you approve of jstrodel's usual argument from 'I know more about stuff than you so you should just shut up!'
Any patent Occam may have had on his razor ran out centuries ago, he no longer owns it. Paring away unnecessary entities is extraordinarily fruitful in everyday life as well as in science. Not every useful tool of reason is or can be proof. The alternative to this mere guide is to entertain any conceivable additional entity positied as an explanation for something.
A: Voltage is caused by voltage fairies pushing electrons.
B: Evidence?
A: There isn't any, because voltage fairies are undetectable.
B: Well, since voltage fairies dont'seem to be necessary to explain voltage and there's no evidence they actually exist, I'm going to go with Occam's razor on this one.
A: Occam's razor isn't proof, it's just a guide!
B: You may not have heard, but those voltage fairies are propelled the collective erotic fantasies of fire-breathing space aardvarks.
A: That sounds made-up, but I will provisionally accept your propostiion, along with any other fetid fantasies your fevered imagination may spew, so long as they are non-falsifiable.
B: At least you're consistent.
Any patent Occam may have had on his razor ran out centuries ago, he no longer owns it. Paring away unnecessary entities is extraordinarily fruitful in everyday life as well as in science. Not every useful tool of reason is or can be proof. The alternative to this mere guide is to entertain any conceivable additional entity positied as an explanation for something.
A: Voltage is caused by voltage fairies pushing electrons.
B: Evidence?
A: There isn't any, because voltage fairies are undetectable.
B: Well, since voltage fairies dont'seem to be necessary to explain voltage and there's no evidence they actually exist, I'm going to go with Occam's razor on this one.
A: Occam's razor isn't proof, it's just a guide!
B: You may not have heard, but those voltage fairies are propelled the collective erotic fantasies of fire-breathing space aardvarks.
A: That sounds made-up, but I will provisionally accept your propostiion, along with any other fetid fantasies your fevered imagination may spew, so long as they are non-falsifiable.
B: At least you're consistent.
