William Of Ockham Quotes

Intuitive cognition of a thing is cognition that enables us to know whether the thing exists or does not exist, in such a way that, if the thing exists, then the intellect immediately judges that it exists and evidently knows that it exists, unless the judgment happens to be impeded through the imperfection of this cognition.

3 is a prime, 5 is a prime, and 7 is a prime. Why bother with non-prime numbers when the primes can do everything?

For nothing ought to be posited without a reason given, unless it is self-evident (literally, known through itself) or known by experience or proved by the authority of Sacred Scripture.

My God is
the green tide in the spring leaves
the redness of cherries high in the air
the excitement of shooting stars
the song of birds in summer branches
the sunrise on a winter's morning
the name of everything we don't understand ...

Frustra fit per plura quod potest fieri per pauciora [It is futile to do with more things that which can be done with fewer]

The explanation requiring the fewest assumptions is most likely to be correct.

With all things being equal, the simplest explanation tends to be the right one.

All things being equal, the simplest solution tends to be the best one.

Entities should not be posited unnecessarily.

Keep things simple.

First it must be known that only a spoken word or a conventional sign is an equivocal or univocal term; therefore a mental contentor concept is, strictly speaking, neither equivocal nor univocal.

Simpler explanations are, other things being equal, generally better than more complex ones.

Pluralitas non est ponenda sine neccesitate. (Entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily.)