Otto’s razor: Difference between revisions

Otto’s razor (view source)

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-''HERCULIO'': ’Tis neither malice, spite, nor virtue <br>
-Whose ledger swells, or plucks, the seedy fruits of progress — <br>
-But mainly accident. <br>
-Lest thy with surety know aught else —<br>
-Withhold thy assignations.<br>
-''TRIAGO'': Pish upon thee, nuncle. Pish! <br>
-Dost thou mean to say <br>
-Things peel this way<br>
-Through doughty misadventure?<br>
-''HERCULIO'': Peradventure — <br>
-''TRIAGO'': Pish abeam! <br>
-Wouldst thou ’pon this shaky surmise <br>
-Withhold thy rebuke? Has thou<br>
-No more to say than that?<br>
-''HERCULIO'': ’Tis but a fluke.
-:—{{buchstein}}, {{dsh}}}}
 A rule of thumb, attributed to 19th century Austrian plowright {{buchstein}}, that recommends when there are plausible alternative explanations for behaviour, one should choose the simplest-minded, preferring cloth-headedness or coincidence over the artful application of intelligence, inspiration, “malice, spite, or virtue”.