singleprinciple

The singleprinciple is a theoretical notion in philosophy, systems theory, and related fields referring to the idea that a single, foundational principle can account for or govern the behavior of a wide range of phenomena within a domain. The term is used primarily in discussions of foundationalism, unification, and methodological parsimony, rather than as an established doctrine.

In discourse, singleprinciple is described in three interrelated senses: normative, methodological, and explanatory. Normative singleprinciple seeks one overarching rule to guide action, belief, or evaluation. Methodological singleprinciple proposes one guiding guideline for inquiry or design. Explanatory singleprinciple claims that many laws or regularities can be derived from one basic axiom or principle.

Applications appear in logic as attempts to formulate a single axiom system from which theorems follow, and in science as a unifying principle that might simplify theory-building. In engineering and software, advocates argue for minimal axioms or a single design principle to reduce redundancy; skeptics warn that real-world complexity often resists reduction to a single principle.

Criticism centers on issues of adequacy, scope, and interpretive flexibility. Critics contend that multiple domains require domain-specific principles, and that a single principle may be too vague to capture necessary distinctions. Proponents respond that even if imperfect, a single principle can serve as a useful heuristic for coherence and integration.

Related concepts include monism, foundationalism, and parsimony.