This paper is concerned with the practical problems associated with understanding and defining the concept of simplicity. Different attempts that have been made to define simplicity and, in particular, definitions based on counting parameters, are discussed and analyzed. The limitations of these...

The idea that simplicity matters in science is as old as science itself, with the much cited example of Ockham's Razor, 'entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem': entities are not to be multiplied beyond necessity. Using a multidisciplinary perspective this monograph asks 'What is...