Simplicity
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Simplicity is the property, condition, or quality of being simple or un-combined. It often denotes beauty, purity or clarity. Simple things are usually easier to explain and understand than complicated ones.
The opposite of simplicity is complexity. Simplicity can mean freedom from hardship, effort or confusion. It may also refer to a simple living lifestyle.
According to Occam's razor, all other things being equal, the simplest theory is the most likely to be true — hence the importance of the concept of simplicity in epistemology. According to Thomas Aquinas, God is infinitely simple.
In MCS cognition theory, simplicity is the property of a domain which requires very little information to be exhaustively described. This is the contrary of complexity.
Members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) practice the Testimony of Simplicity, which is the simplifying of one's life in order to focus on things that are most important and disregard or avoid things that are least important.
Simplicity is sometimes used as a synonym or euphemism for stupidity.
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Simplicity in the philosophy of science
Simplicity is a meta-scientific criterion by which to evaluate competing theories. See also Occam's Razor and references.
Simplicity in language
Some constructed languages have taken the beauty of simplicity as a design goal. For example, Toki Pona has only 118 words.
Quotes
"Things should be made as simple as possible, but not any simpler." — Albert Einstein
"Our lives are frittered away by detail; simplify, simplify." — Henry David Thoreau
"Simplicity means the achievement of maximum effect with minimum means." — Dr. Koichi Kawana, Architect, designer of the botanical gardens
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." — Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)
See also
- Complexity
- KISS principle
- Voluntary simplicity
- Occam's razor
- Testimony of Simplicity
- Worse is better
References
- Craig, E. Ed. (1998) Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. London, Routledge. simplicity (in Scientific Theory) p.780-783
- Dancy, J. and Ernest Sosa, Ed.(1999) A Companion to Epistemology. Malden, Massachusetts, Blackwell Publishers Inc. simplicity p. 477-479.
- Edwards, P., Ed. (1967). The Encyclopedia of Philosophy. New York, The Macmillan Company. simplicity p.445-448.
- Kim, J. a. E. S., Ed.(2000). A Companion to Metaphysics. Oxford, Blackwell Publishers. simplicity, parsimony p.461-462.
- Newton-Smith, W. H., Ed. (2001). A Companion to the Philosophy of Science. Malden, Massachusetts, Blackwell Publishers Ltd. simplicity p.433-441.
- Sarkar, S. Ed. (2002). The Philosophy of Science--An Encyclopedia. London, Routledge. simplicity
- Wilson, R. A. a. K., Frank C., (1999). The MIT Encyclopedia of the Cognitive Sciences. Cambridge, Massachusetts, The MIT Press. parsimony and simplicity p.627-629.
External links
- Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry
- Stanford SIMPLIcity image retrieval system, 1999.
- Extensive bibliography for simplicity in the philosophy of science
- Simplicity of life at www.lichtensteiger.de
- Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! Thoreau at www.lichtensteiger.de
- Complexity vs. Simplicity
- Beyond Simplicity: Tough Issues For A New Era by Albert J. Fritsch, SJ, PhD
- "On Simple Theories Of A Complex World" by W. V. O. Quinede:Einfachheit