Philosophical razors

[mr_houston]

I just read an article that referenced Hanlon's Razor.

Hadn't heard of that. I know of Occam's Razor: "The simplest solution is most likely the right one. "

So, I looked it up. Hanlon's Razor says: "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity."

These are part of a category of philosophical principles or rules of thumb that allows one to eliminate ("shave off") unlikely explanations for a phenomenon, or avoid unnecessary actions. Some others are listed here LINK. But I don't find them as helpful.

I think there are other rules of thumb like that which represent common wisdom. I'd appreciate your thoughts.

Here's one that I like, but don't always practice. It's not always true, but it puts me in a more forgiving frame of mind. "Assume that others are trying their best to do the right thing."

 

[FarmerTan]

Do unto others before they do unto you.

Joking obviously.

I honestly have to think about this.

Off the top of my head, I guess my own motto is:

"Leave me alone, and I will leave you alone"

I can get along with nearly anyone. But to quote Mr. T, "I pity the fool....."

 

[FarmerTan]

PS: Mr Hanlon sounds pretty smart.

 

[mr_houston]

Heinlein’s Razor is an extension: "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity, but never rule out malice”

 

[FarmerTan]

Love Heinlein! It'd be hard to find anything he had published that I haven't read.

 

[Chandu]

I never had to read these first hand. Hang around IT guys long enough and you’ll hear them all eventually.

 

[The Knize]

I kind of like the Hitchen's razor one, although I have mixed feelings about Christopher Hitchen and I am not sure I love the context in which this "razor" was developed.

I am not sure what the question is. Is it: What are some other "philosophical principles or rules of thumb that allow one to eliminate ("shave off") unlikely explanations for a phenomenon, or avoid unnecessary actions"? I think it is hard to come up with things that are no at least partly joking. And context matters a lot. I think in one's family, for instance, assuming that people are trying their best and have an absence of malice, may be a beneficial for all concerned thing to do. For dealing with the world at large, I would say absolutely not. I think I agree with some of the premises in Malcom Galdwell's latest book to the effect that in dealing with strangers people too often assume good intentions on the others part.

Here are a few of cut through all the noise to the simple propositions:

"No matter how cynical you are, it is hard to keep up."

"Often better to have loved and lost, than to have loved and won."

"The race is not always to the swift nor the fight to the strong, but it is the way to bet."

"Follow the money."

 

[Stubblebum]

• "Always go to other people's funerals. Otherwise, they won't come to yours."

• "When you come to a fork in the road, take it."

• "You can observe a lot by watching."

• "Never answer an anonymous letter."

--- y. berra

 

[Doc4]

“There’s no such thing as too sharp”

—Feather’s Razor

 

[FarmerTan]

I never had to read these first hand. Hang around IT guys long enough and you’ll hear them all eventually.

True, from what I've heard. Also, the NASA brainiacs were almost all inspired by him, from what I've read.

 

[FarmerTan]

I kind of like the Hitchen's razor one, although I have mixed feelings about Christopher Hitchen and I am not sure I love the context in which this "razor" was developed.

I am not sure what the question is. Is it: What are some other "philosophical principles or rules of thumb that allow one to eliminate ("shave off") unlikely explanations for a phenomenon, or avoid unnecessary actions"? I think it is hard to come up with things that are no at least partly joking. And context matters a lot. I think in one's family, for instance, assuming that people are trying their best and have an absence of malice, may be a beneficial for all concerned thing to do. For dealing with the world at large, I would say absolutely not. I think I agree with some of the premises in Malcom Galdwell's latest book to the effect that in dealing with strangers people too often assume good intentions on the others part.

I learned this lesson the hard way as a psych nurse. ALWAYS assume that a mentally ill person is smarter than you, because they probably are.

Hey, maybe that should be my motto!

Of course, maybe you should assume the worst of all people, ESPECIALLY family, depending upon who one's family is.

 

[StillShaving]

Hanlon's Razor reminds me of a Dilbert strip from earlier this week:

scottadams | Twitter | Linktree

If you want to find Dilbert or Scott Adams, here are some leads.

dilbert.com

 

[FarmerTan]

Hanlon's Razor reminds me of a Dilbert strip from earlier this week:

scottadams | Twitter | Linktree

If you want to find Dilbert or Scott Adams, here are some leads.

dilbert.com

Perfect!

 

[StratMan]

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt

 

[mrlandpirate]

Just when you thought you made it idiot proof
They breed better idiots

 

[oc_in_fw]

 

[oc_in_fw]

• "Always go to other people's funerals. Otherwise, they won't come to yours."

• "When you come to a fork in the road, take it."

• "You can observe a lot by watching."

• "Never answer an anonymous letter."

--- y. berra

Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.

 

[Stubblebum]

"Life is like a box of chocolates"

 

[The Knize]

avoid unnecessary actions.

"Measure twice, cut once."

Pareto Principle--The 20-80 rule.


"Shaving off unlikely explanations for a phenomenon":

"He who makes too big a show of showing his cards is not actually playing cards."

"For every problem, there is an easy, obvious, straightforward solution. Usually wrong."

"Grice's razor: As a principle of parsimony, conversational implications are to be preferred over semantic context for linguistic explanations." (As I understand it, pay attention to what is meant more than the actual words that are said.)

"When you hear hoof beats, look for horses, not camels."

"No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.”

"A fool and his money are soon parted."

"At a poker game, if you cannot tell who the sucker is, you are the sucker."

"Honor thy Father and Mother to the same extent they honor you."

"The butler did it."

"Trust but confirm."

"Whatever can go wrong will go wrong and at the least opportune time."

"If it seems too good to be true, it is not true."

"All politics is local."

 

[The Knize]

“There’s no such thing as too sharp”

—Feather’s Razor

Sounds more like famous last words! Often my experience with Feather blades, I suppose.