The Obsession with Occam's Razor

Occam’s razor – that is, the methodological principle of parsimony that advocates for the hypothesis with the fewest assumptions possible – is largely considered to be a sound epistemological practice. Indeed, it was and remains a valuable tool for scientific and philosophical inquiry. However, we argue that a too rigid application and, in some instances, an almost obsessive mandatory use, has frequently turned away from a reasonable and sound heuristic approach, making of it an unwarranted and ineffective epistemological method. Some words of caution are necessary to clarify how, contrary to common belief, a too strict adherence to such a principle does not guarantee scientific rigor, rather it can obstruct further progress.