Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site rti-sel.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!bellcore!decvax!mcnc!rti-sel!rcb From: rcb@rti-sel.UUCP Newsgroups: net.physics Subject: Re: Occam's Razor Message-ID: <48@rti-sel.UUCP> Date: Tue, 18-Dec-84 19:12:49 EST Article-I.D.: rti-sel.48 Posted: Tue Dec 18 19:12:49 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 21-Dec-84 00:15:03 EST References: <217@looking.UUCP> <> <306@aesat.UUCP> <1559@sdcrdcf.UUCP> Organization: Research Triangle Institute, NC Lines: 16 Come on guys! Lets get this definition right! Occam's Razor: When considering the relative merit of two theories, the one that requires the least degree of assumption is the better of the two. Least_degree := assumption_count * assumption_probability ^ 2 assumption_probability is the probability that an assumption could be true. The assumption that the observer exists has a very high probability. The assumption that UFO's exist has a very low probability. Randy Buckland Research Triangle Institute ...!mcnc!rti-sel!rcb