Question

Can someone explain Occam's razor? And how it is important to the study of thermodynamics? The first lecture talks about it (Unotredame course)

Answer 1

@null It doesn't have much to do with thermodynamics itself , but how we solve problems in thermodynamics . And Occam's razor pretty much states that we want an answer with the least assumptions. Pretty much answers that are backed up with the most cold hard facts

Answer 2

The principle states that "Entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily."

Newton stated the rule: "We are to admit no more causes of natural things than such as are both true and sufficient to explain their appearances."

The most useful statement of the principle for scientists is
"when you have two competing theories that make exactly the same predictions, the simpler one is the better."

Generally: simpler is better!!

Source:
http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/General/occam.html

Answer 3

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