Occam’s Razor

One of the side benefits of writing all the briefs I write is learning new words and phrases.  In her dissent in Henry v. Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors (In the Matter of Wlldesign, Inc.), — F.3d —, (9th Cir. Oct. 2017), Judge Jacqueline Nguyen commented (quoting from another case),

“To avoid this result, the court opted to ‘slice these [steps] off with Occam’s Razor and leave a more functional rule’ in their place.”

68 years now and I have never heard that term.   Have to look it up.  It seems Occam was a monk in the 1400’s.  He espoused the concept that the easiest and most obvious answer to a question is likely the right answer and the analysis should stop there.  Don’t delve into “ifs,” unless there is something suggesting that the if might bring the right answer.  If it was windy last night and this morning a tree in your yard is laying on the ground, the wind probably blew it over.  Stop there.  Don’t think that maybe someone snuck into your yard and pushed it over or a meteor hit it unless there is something that clearly shows that those things might have happened.

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