Parcimonie

Parcimonie is a term used across philosophy, science, and everyday language to express a preference for simplicity in explanations, theories, or models. In English, the related term parsimony and the principle commonly known as Occam’s razor convey the idea that, among competing hypotheses, the one with the fewest assumptions should be favored. The term derives from a Latin root meaning thrift or economy, and in many languages it carries a nuanced sense of frugality or restraint in the use of posits.

In philosophy and epistemology, parcimonie functions as a methodological heuristic. It is not an empirical claim about truth but a criterion for selecting among alternatives: simpler theories are preferred when they adequately account for the observed data. This approach aims to reduce overfitting, ambiguity, and the burden of unnecessary entities in a theory.

In the sciences, parcimonie informs model-building and inference. In biology and bioinformatics, maximum parsimony is a criterion used to reconstruct evolutionary trees by minimizing the total number of evolutionary changes. In statistics and machine learning, parsimony aligns with model selection principles that reward simpler models, often through information criteria like AIC or BIC, which balance fit and complexity.

In everyday language, parcimonie also describes thriftiness or frugality in resource use. Critics note that an emphasis on simplicity can overlook genuine complexity or context-dependent factors, so parcimonie is most effective when balanced with empirical adequacy and explanatory power.