Year: 1963
Type: article
Abstract: The relations between simplicity and economy, and between simplicity and complexity, are briefly discussed, and it is suggested that an appearance of simplicity may arise out of the matching of two complexities, e.g. in the perception of a simple color. Following out this idea, it is shown that scientific activity may be regarded as a matching of theoretical complexity against the complexity of nature, which leads to an expectation of an optimum theoretical complexity for successful scientific work. Some senses of “success” in this context are discussed, and the role of computing machines in helping to achieve it assessed.
Source: Philosophy of Science
DOI: 10.1086/287926
Author: Peter Caws
Institution: Carnegie Corporation of New York
Language: English
Subfield: History and Philosophy of Science
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2089619898