--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: simplicity is not proof of truth. But…" description: "\"“simplicity is not proof of truth. But since we can never understand true reality, if two models both explain the same facts, it is more rational to us..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/scott-adams-666_simplicity_simplicity-is-not-proof-of-truth-but-sin_1430253.jpg" --- # simplicity is not proof of truth. But since we can never… ![“simplicity is not proof of truth. But since we can never understand true reality, if two models both explain the same facts, it is more rational to use the simpler one. It is a matter of convenience.” quote by Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/scott-adams-666_simplicity_simplicity-is-not-proof-of-truth-but-sin_1430253.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/scott-adams-666_simplicity_simplicity-is-not-proof-of-truth-but-sin_1430253.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/scott-adams-666_simplicity_simplicity-is-not-proof-of-truth-but-sin_1430253.jpg) > ““simplicity is not proof of truth. But since we can never understand true reality, if two models both explain the same facts, it is more rational to use the simpler one. It is a matter of convenience.”” [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Simpler models are preferable when both explain data, because true reality is unknowable. **In simple terms:** Prefer simpler explanations when equally valid. Key Takeaway Choose the simpler model. Themes simplicity model selection philosophy science pragmatism Mood analytical pragmatic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - Data analysis - scientific research - business forecasting Key Concepts Occam’s razor epistemic humility decision making Questions to Reflect On - When is complexity justified? - How do you test model adequacy? A Different Perspective Simpler models may overlook nuances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Simplicity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simplicity/) [True reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-reality/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [“Likewise every true thought contains in itself a proof of its truth. This proof is its vivifying effect upon the heart;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-john-of-kronstadt/likewise-every-true-thought-contains-in-itself-a-proof-of-its-truth/) [St. John of Kronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-john-of-kronstadt/) > [One can always find inflationary models to explain whatever phenomenon is represented by the flavour of the month.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-silk/one-can-always-find-inflationary-models-to-explain-whatever/) [Joseph Silk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-silk/) > [Lie doesn't need a Proof, Truth Does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/lie-doesn-t-need-a-proof-truth-does/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“We create models to explain nature, but the models wind up gatecrashing nature and driving away the original inhabitants.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/we-create-models-to-explain-nature-but-the-models-wind-up/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [Sometimes yo need to lie to keep things better. Because not everyone will understand the truth . And not everyone understand why you LIED ..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/weny-jane/sometimes-yo-need-to-lie-to-keep-things-better-because-not-everyone/) [Weny Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/weny-jane/) > [“For those who can SEE, they will see the TRUTH... For those who can HEAR, they will hear the TRUTH... For those who can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-marc/for-those-who-can-see-they-will-see-the-truth-for-those-who-can-hear/) [Dr. Marc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-marc/) > [We must not think, "Well, we have all the truth, we understand the main pillars of our faith, and we may rest on this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/we-must-not-think-well-we-have-all-the-truth-we-understand-the-main/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [Now by knowing absolute truth you understand each other much more. That means a collective consciousness, a new dimension in your awareness. You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/now-by-knowing-absolute-truth-you-understand-each-other-much-more/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [May you walk a lighted path. May you fight for truth - your truth, not someone else's - and may you understand, above all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisha-pessl/may-you-walk-a-lighted-path-may-you-fight-for-truth-your-truth-not/) [Marisha Pessl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisha-pessl/) > [For only when I err do I get away from what I know and what I understand. If "truth" were what I can understand,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/for-only-when-i-err-do-i-get-away-from-what-i-know-and-what-i/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [Which isn't the truth, you understand. At least you understand that in your head...but not always in your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leigh/which-isn-t-the-truth-you-understand-at-least-you-understand-that-in/) Stephen Leigh > [“Before you can live a part of you has to die. You have to let go of what could have been, how you should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-alder/before-you-can-live-a-part-of-you-has-to-die-you-have-to-let-go-of/) [Shannon Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-alder/) > [“Knowledge isn't truth. It's just mindless agreement. You agree with me, I agree with someone else - we all have knowledge. We haven't come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-johnson/knowledge-isn-t-truth-it-s-just-mindless-agreement-you-agree-with-me/) Terry Johnson > [Truth can understand error, but error cannot understand truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/truth-can-understand-error-but-error-cannot-understand-truth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't have to tell everything you know, but let what you do say be the truth as you understand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-don-t-have-to-tell-everything-you-know-but-let-what-you-do-say-be/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) ## More by Scott Adams > [The creator of the universe works in mysterious ways. But he uses a base ten counting system and likes round numbers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/the-creator-of-the-universe-works-in-mysterious-ways-but-he-uses-a/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“If you think your odds of solving your problem are bad, don’t rule out the possibility that what is really happening is that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/if-you-think-your-odds-of-solving-your-problem-are-bad-don-t-rule-out/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [Frankly, I’m suspicious of anyone who has a strong opinion on a complicated issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/frankly-i-m-suspicious-of-anyone-who-has-a-strong-opinion-on-a/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“If you want success, figure out the price, then pay it. It sounds trivial and obvious, but if you unpack the idea it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/if-you-want-success-figure-out-the-price-then-pay-it-it-sounds/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [Ideas are worthless, execution is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/ideas-are-worthless-execution-is-everything/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [For five hundred dollars, I'll name a subatomic particle after you. Some of my satisfied customers include Arthur C. Quark and George Meson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/for-five-hundred-dollars-i-ll-name-a-subatomic-particle-after-you/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“Failure always brings something valuable with it. I don’t let it leave until I extract that value.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/failure-always-brings-something-valuable-with-it-i-don-t-let-it-leave/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [The longer you verk here, diverse it gets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/the-longer-you-verk-here-diverse-it-gets/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“On all the important stuff, we are emotional creatures who make decisions first and rationalize them after the fact.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/on-all-the-important-stuff-we-are-emotional-creatures-who-make/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“What you rarely see is a stillborn failure that transmogrifies into a stellar success. Small successes can grow into big ones, but failures rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/what-you-rarely-see-is-a-stillborn-failure-that-transmogrifies-into-a/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“Because everything you perceive is a metaphor for something your brain is not equipped to fully understand. God is as real as the clothes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/because-everything-you-perceive-is-a-metaphor-for-something-your/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“Capitalism is rotten at every level, and yet it adds up to something extraordinarily useful for society over time. The paradox of capitalism is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/capitalism-is-rotten-at-every-level-and-yet-it-adds-up-to-something/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [The best part about being my age is in knowing how my life worked out. Sure, there's a lot more living to go, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/the-best-part-about-being-my-age-is-in-knowing-how-my-life-worked-out/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [If you see voters as rational, you'll be a terrible politician. People are not wired to be rational. Our brains simply evolved to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/if-you-see-voters-as-rational-you-ll-be-a-terrible-politician-people/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [E-books are impervious to analogy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/e-books-are-impervious-to-analogy/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) [Explore all 418 Scott Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) ## More Simplicity quotes > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [The minimum that most minimalists want leaves in place just the institutions who protect their interests. That's libertarians for you - anarchists who want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-stanley-robinson/the-minimum-that-most-minimalists-want-leaves-in-place-just-the/) [Kim Stanley Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-stanley-robinson/) > [A garden has a curious innocent way of consuming cash while all the time you are under the illusion that you are spending nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-meynell/a-garden-has-a-curious-innocent-way-of-consuming-cash-while-all-the/) [Esther Meynell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-meynell/) > [“The past and the future are what's complicated. It's the present that's simple. And the simplicity is the sensation of it being just her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-past-and-the-future-are-what-s-complicated-it-s-the-present-that/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [Alec Wilkinson is a spare, clear, and lucid writer who works in stylistic simplicity with material that is not simple at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-matthiessen/alec-wilkinson-is-a-spare-clear-and-lucid-writer-who-works-in/) [Peter Matthiessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-matthiessen/) > [“I delight to come to my bearings,—not walk in procession with pomp and parade, in a conspicuous place, but to walk even with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-delight-to-come-to-my-bearings-not-walk-in-procession-with-pomp-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Never anything can be amiss, when simpleness and duty tender it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/never-anything-can-be-amiss-when-simpleness-and-duty-tender-it/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [David Shrigley is somewhere between stand-up comedy and cave paintings. He does these brilliant esoteric, simple drawings - you might even say bad drawings.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-reid/david-shrigley-is-somewhere-between-stand-up-comedy-and-cave/) [Noah Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-reid/) > [Developing fewer features allows you to conserve development resources and spend more time refining those features that users really need. Fewer features mean fewer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jakob-nielsen/developing-fewer-features-allows-you-to-conserve-development/) [Jakob Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jakob-nielsen/) > [By sowing frugality we reap liberty, a golden harvest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agesilaus-ii/by-sowing-frugality-we-reap-liberty-a-golden-harvest/) [Agesilaus II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agesilaus-ii/) > [Writing that flirts with incoherence can just as readily flounder as writing characterized by simplicity and composure. There is no reliable formula for originality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-scott/writing-that-flirts-with-incoherence-can-just-as-readily-flounder-as/) [Joanna Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-scott/) > [There is in art the notion of less is more, which is to say, you don't torture a painting that has already confessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/there-is-in-art-the-notion-of-less-is-more-which-is-to-say-you-don-t/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [You don't have to come from Trinidad to really love Harry Belafonte, you don't have to come from the West Coast to appreciate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-avett/you-don-t-have-to-come-from-trinidad-to-really-love-harry-belafonte/) Seth Avett > [“Take the time to observe the simple and ponder upon the seemingly insignificant. You’ll find a wealth of depth and beauty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-charlene/take-the-time-to-observe-the-simple-and-ponder-upon-the-seemingly/) Melanie Charlene > [The good word of the Lord with which we must nourish is the simple doctrine of the gospel. We need not fear either simplicity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/the-good-word-of-the-lord-with-which-we-must-nourish-is-the-simple/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) [Browse all 2,643 Simplicity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simplicity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“simplicity is not proof of truth. But since we can never understand true reality, if two models both explain the same facts, it is more rational to use the simpler one. 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