Occam’s Razor principle: how do you learn to keep your life uncomplicated by cutting out all unnecessary things?

kliiniline analüütiline psühholoog, magistrikraad psühholoogias

“Occam’s Razor is a methodological principle with a reference to reductionism. It is also called the law of economy and parsimony. It suggests that we should not complicate an occurring phenomenon if it can be explained in a simple way.”

People are faced with various choices throughout their lives. Sometimes they seem agonizing, complex, and confusing. The principle suggests paying attention to the simplest solutions to situations. Here we can recall Sigmund Freud’s statement: “Sometimes a banana is just a banana, and there is no need to look for hidden symbolic meaning in it”.

The Emergence of Occam’s Razor

The origins of the principle are rooted in medieval scholasticism. This philosophical movement was actively developing in the universities of Western Europe in the XII-XV centuries. The principle itself was clearly spelled out by William Occam in his work “Summa Logica” as follows: “It is not necessary to assert much without necessity”. Over time, the most famous formulation became: “One should not multiply entities without necessity.”

At the same time, William Occam was not the author of the ideas underlying the book. He was inspired by the theologian John Duns Scotus, who, together with Bishop Durand de St. Pursen, defined the law of economy. And the idea of the advantage of solutions had existed since the time of Aristotle.

However, it was William Occam who became an ardent proponent of the principle. He sought to separate knowledge and faith, denying randomness and claiming that everything happens according to the will of god. His passionate commitment to these ideas inspired the nineteenth-century Scottish philosopher William Hamilton to formulate the principle’s modern name, Occam’s Razor.

The razor is here interpreted philosophically as a special tool for cutting off superfluous reasoning if a simple explanation of a phenomenon satisfies the criteria of sufficiency.

Life application

The principle is used in psychology to simplify the process of making an important decision. The shortest path will lead to the desired outcome rather than complicating the task. In real life, it can help in simplifying the explanation of one’s own choices. However, it is worth distinguishing between the psychological methods used.

In psychoanalysis, the decision to choose depends mainly on deep emotions, affects, moods and drives. The first decision is made by the unconscious part of the psyche. After that, the consciousness is involved. There, these decisions are treated as conscious choices, even if they were made unconsciously.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) works with both thoughts and emotions. The main emphasis is on conscious processes and logical thinking. However, the third wave of CBT addresses feelings specifically.

Let’s try to understand with an example. Suppose a married couple decides to divorce. The easy explanation for their intention is “love has passed”. Now let’s look at the situation more deeply, from the point of view of different approaches.

From the point of view of analytical psychology

Let’s assume that the reason for the divorce is the husband’s infidelity. The decision to separate is made by the offended wife. According to Occam’s Razor, she looks for the simplest solution to the problem, reasoning as follows: “If a man is capable of infidelity and has gone along with it, he does not care about family values. Otherwise, he would not destroy the family. Accordingly – why do I need such a husband?”.

Yes, it is rational, but here we have an automatic assessment of the situation. Probably, the unconscious part of the psyche does not feel attracted to a man. It approves and encourages logical reasoning about the need for divorce.

It is also possible that it was the emotional cooling and detachment of the spouse that provoked the man to cheat. This does not justify him, but explains the unconscious desire of the spouse to divorce. It is legalized by consciousness after the woman learns of the betrayal.

Not always the easiest decision can lead to favorable consequences. Perhaps in the moment, under the influence of strong emotional feelings, the best way out may seem to be filing for divorce. However, in the long run, it has the potential to cause a large number of problems.

Thus, we can see that this principle (from the point of view of psychoanalytic psychology) is not suitable for making decisions about personal life. The sphere of feelings cannot be simplified.

However, Occam’s Razor works well in business matters. If you see several equally effective options for solving some problem, choose the simplest of them.

From a CPT perspective.

The cognitive-behavioral approach suggests looking at the principle through Acceptance and Responsibility Therapy (ACT). Its goal is to acquire psychological flexibility. This key skill helps a person to cope with difficulties, listen to the inner self and live life fully.

For this purpose, there are many techniques based on the development of mindfulness. A person learns to feel in the current moment whether there is an inner agreement with a certain decision. But it is not so easy. Not everyone knows how to separate from attitudes, other people’s perceptions, as well as to live in the present moment. In this case, there is a feeling that a person does not understand at all how best and what is right in this situation.

Clinical psychologist, cognitive behavioral therapist

“Why is it sometimes difficult to understand yourself? A decision may be simple in reality but difficult to make. One reason is that the skill itself is poorly learned. It may also be that the action taken threatens to make life more difficult and impose additional responsibility in the long run.”

Back to our couple who are on the verge of divorce. The good thing is that the woman made the decision to leave and began to act on it. The blade principle worked itself out. Often, however, people begin to doubt and look for different options.

The cognitive path suggests labeling the troubling issue. Then write a list of possible solutions, evaluate them in terms of complexity and choose the easiest one.

For example, a person wants to quit smoking. He has several options for action.

1. Throw away a pack of cigarettes and resist the urge with willpower. This can be done with the help of the technique “Surfing emotions”. At the moment of increasing desire do not resist it, but conquer the feeling, like a surfer rising on a wave. Tension will inevitably go down.
2. Go to a psychiatrist, make an appointment for coding, undergo the procedure.
3. Buy a patch at the drugstore. See if it works or not.
4. Read a book on addiction and go through the motions.

The easiest solution is the first one. Simplicity in this case means internal agreement. It comes to mind immediately. The ability to catch it and not go into additional thoughts helps to cut off the unnecessary. Four points will help you learn how to do this .

1. Consider from the point of view of values. Is the decision that came to my mind in line with them? Does it make my life better in the long run?
2. Ask yourself if you internally agree with it.
3. Separate fact (thought) from interpretation (extra wisecracks and unnecessary explanations), that is – see the essence. Stop and distance yourself.
4. Withstand the influx of thoughts and emotions. For example, you can visualize a radio playing in the background, or observe them from the sidelines.

It’s important to realize that the principle of Occam’s Razor doesn’t seem universal because of its subjectivity. For everyone, the concept of “easy” is interpreted differently. Also, the easiest solution is not always the right one. Rather, the method helps to speed up the situation when time is limited.

It should also be noted that the principle is a heuristic – a practical tool that helps to make an informed choice between several options. Sometimes we need to pay attention to simple and economical explanations. It is a guideline for thinking, but not a rigid rule. Applying it to life requires a sensible assessment of context and circumstances.