Philosophical Razors Archives

Hume’s Guillotine and the Is—Ought Problem

Oct . 21 . 2020
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Philosophical Razors, Thinking Tools
Posted by Taz

Hume’s guillotine is a mental model for separating facts from values. In the words of David Hume himself, “If the cause, assigned for any effect, be not sufficient to produce it, we must either reject that cause, or add to it such qualities as will give it a just proportion to the effect.” ...

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Using Hanlon’s Razor to Shave the Villainy of the World

Oct . 11 . 2020
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Philosophical Razors, Thinking Tools
Posted by Taz

Hanlon’s Razor is about giving people the benefit of the doubt. Just like many other mental models, it is a tool to help us see past the bounds of our ego. We too often assume the actions of others have to do with us, as if our lives are the ruling factors in theirs. Whether you do this co...

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How to Sharpen Your Mind with Occam’s Razor

Aug . 21 . 2020
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Mental Models, Philosophical Razors, Thinking Tools
Posted by Taz

Occam’s Razor is a mental model that helps us choose an explanation when there are competing theories. In a nutshell, it claims the theory with the least assumptions is usually the correct one. This mental model is named after William of Ockham, a 14th century friar and philosopher. Occ...

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