Simplificación

Simplificación, or simplification, is the process of making something simpler or less complex. It covers changes to concepts, objects, processes, or representations with the aim of improving understandability, tractability, or efficiency. The idea appears across disciplines and in everyday practice.

In mathematics and logic, simplification means reducing expressions to a more basic or canonical form by applying rules of algebra or arithmetic. In logic, the simplification rule allows inferring one part of a conjunction from the whole (for example, from A and B, infer A).

In science, engineering, and statistics, model simplification creates tractable representations of complex systems. Techniques include averaging, lumping, dimensional reduction, and the use of simpler hypotheses, often balancing accuracy with usability or computation time.

Linguistics and cognitive science study simplification as changes in language or cognition that reduce complexity. This can involve phonological shortening, simplification of inflection or syntax, or design choices in educational materials and interfaces intended to lower cognitive load.

In design, communication, and policy, simplification aims to remove unnecessary elements, jargon, or steps to improve usability, accessibility, and speed. Critics warn that over-simplification can erase important distinctions, reduce precision, or overlook context and nuance.

Historically, simplification has accompanied reforms, standardization, and the evolution of theories and technologies. Its appropriate use depends on balancing clarity and fidelity to the original complexity.

See also: reduction, abstraction, optimization, normalization.