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Lecture by Prof. Jonathan Strand:

The Simplest Possible Overall Conception of Reality

(Consistent with What We Know)

 Abstract: It is widely agreed that simplicity plays a major role in theory choice; all else being equal, simpler theories are preferable to—better than—more complex theories. Contemporary science is utterly dependent upon some such, at least implicit, “principle of simplicity.” This paper addresses the question, then: “How many ‘ultimate causes’ would there be in the simplest possible overall conception of reality consistent with what we know?” The paper argues that the simplest possible overall conception of reality (consistent with what we know) would entail that everything that exists shares a single ultimate cause.

Friday September 30, noon, HA 206