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On Advancing Simple Hypotheses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2022

Daniel N. Osherson and
Scott Weinstein
Daniel N. Osherson
Affiliation:
Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Scott Weinstein
Affiliation:
Department of Philosophy, University of Pennsylvania
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Abstract

We consider drawbacks to scientific methods that prefer simple hypotheses to complex ones that cover the same data. The discussion proceeds in the context of a precise model of scientific inquiry.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Philosophy of Science , Volume 57 , Issue 2 , June 1990, pp. 266 - 277
Copyright
Copyright © 1989 by the Philosophy of Science Association

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Footnotes

†

Support for this research was provided by the Office of Naval Research under contract No. N00014-87-K-0401. We thank two anonymous referees for helpful discussion.

References

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