dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaWhy Occam's Razor
| Authors | Russell K. Standish |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0001020 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0001020 |
| DOI | 10.1023/B:FOPL.0000032475.18334.0e |
| Journal | Foundations of Physics Letters, 17, p255-266, (2004) |
Abstract
Ensemble theories have received a lot of interest recently as a means of explaining a lot of the detailed complexity observed in reality by a vastly simpler description ``every possibility exists'' and a selection principle ({\em Anthropic Principle}) ``we only observe that which is consistent with our existence''. In this paper I show why, in an ensemble theory of the universe, we should be inhabiting one of the elements of that ensemble with least information content that satisfies the anthropic principle. This explains the effectiveness of aesthetic principles such as Occam's razor in predicting usefulness of scientific theories. I also show, with a couple of reasonable assumptions about the phenomenon of consciousness, the linear structure of quantum mechanics can be derived.
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"abstract": "Ensemble theories have received a lot of interest recently as a means of\nexplaining a lot of the detailed complexity observed in reality by a vastly\nsimpler description ``every possibility exists\u0027\u0027 and a selection principle\n({\\em Anthropic Principle}) ``we only observe that which is consistent with our\nexistence\u0027\u0027. In this paper I show why, in an ensemble theory of the universe,\nwe should be inhabiting one of the elements of that ensemble with least\ninformation content that satisfies the anthropic principle. This explains the\neffectiveness of aesthetic principles such as Occam\u0027s razor in predicting\nusefulness of scientific theories. I also show, with a couple of reasonable\nassumptions about the phenomenon of consciousness, the linear structure of\nquantum mechanics can be derived.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0001020",
"authors": [
"Russell K. Standish"
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"doi": "10.1023/B:FOPL.0000032475.18334.0e",
"journal_ref": "Foundations of Physics Letters, 17, p255-266, (2004)",
"title": "Why Occam\u0027s Razor",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0001020"
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