And this, just because. (From Wikipedia)
The principle is often incorrectly summarized as "other things being equal, a simpler explanation is better than a more complex one." In practice, the application of the principle often shifts the burden of proof in a discussion.[a] The razor asserts that one should proceed to simpler theories until simplicity can be traded for greater explanatory power. The simplest available theory need not be most accurate. Philosophers point out also that the exact meaning of simplest may be nuanced.[b]
Bertrand Russell offers a particular version of Occam's Razor: "Whenever possible, substitute constructions out of known entities for inferences to unknown entities."[1]
Certainly slavishly going after a single diagnosis to the exclusion of all else will cause misdiagnosis a fair amount of the time. Analyzing how physicians diagnose (and why they misdiagnose) is fascinating. Look at the recent NY case that has become a bit of a media sensation. It sounds like the clinicians involved narrowed the diagnostic possibilities very early, causing them to not give sufficient weight to important findings.
