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==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
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{{incomplete|Created by a BOT THAT ONLY CREATES ALL PAGES NOT MENTIONING ITSELF - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
  
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This comic invokes three philosophical topics: {{w|Occam's Razor}}, the {{w|Barber paradox|Barber Paradox}}, and {{w|Murphy's Law}}.
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This comic conflates three conceptual approaches: {{w|Occam's Razor}}, the {{w|Barber paradox}} and {{w|Murphy's Law}}.
  
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Occam's Razor is the principle that explanations should not postulate more entities than necessary. It is often phrased as "the simplest explanation is best". The word '{{w|Philosophical razor|razor}}' is intended to evoke the image of shaving off superfluous elements.
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Occam's Razor suggests that explanations should not postulate more entities than necessary. It is often phrased as "the simplest explanation is usually correct". In philosophy a '{{w|Philosophical razor|razor}}' is a principle that conceptually cuts away alternative explanations.
  
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The Barber Paradox postulates a town barber who shaves all those, and those only, in the town who don’t shave themselves, and asks whether the barber shaves himself. The paradox is that if he does, then he shouldn’t, and if he doesn’t, then he should. It is an attempt at a concrete, real-world analog of {{w|Russell's paradox|Russell's Paradox}} in set theory.  
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The Barber Paradox is derived from {{w|Russell's paradox}}, which relates to a set of concepts that may contain itself within it. The Barber's paradox regards a town where only the barber is permitted to shave all men (presumably with a physical razor rather than a metaphysical one) in his town who do not shave themselves. The paradox is whether the barber does or does not shave himself.  
  
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Megan tries to invoke Occam's Razor to create a simpler solution to the paradox. Occam's Razor is named in honor of philosopher {{w|William of Ockham}} (Ockham being a town in England) and she declares that William shaves the barber. Her proposal is humorous and does not of course resolve the paradox, as the barber is still not shaving himself (so he should shave himself, so he shouldn't shave himself...)
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Megan invokes Occam's Razor with the words "the simplest explanation" as well as Occam's name, and goes on to propose a solution to who shaves the barber. (Her proposal does not resolve the paradox, as someone other than the barber would shave someone who doesn't shave himself.)
  
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The title text invokes Murphy's Law: the expectation that "anything that can go wrong will go wrong." When you shave with a {{w|Straight razor|cut-throat razor}}, there are multiple things that could {{w|Sweeney Todd|go wrong}}, many of which would cause harm to the person being shaved. Alternatively, invoking Murphy's law makes the principle of Occam's Razor itself or its use in the comic, "go wrong", possibly rendering the solution invalid.
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The title text invokes Murphy's Law: the expectation that if anything can go wrong it will. Shaving with a {{w|Straight razor|cut-throat razor}} has failure modes including one explained by this name.
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==
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:[Megan is holding a hand palm up towards Cueball as they are walking together.]
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{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
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:Megan: The simplest explanation is that Occam shaves the barber.
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[One panel.  Megan and Cueball walking.]
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Megan: The simplest explanation is that Occam shaves the barber.
  
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
{{comic discussion}}
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[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
 
[[Category:Logic]]
 
[[Category:Logic]]
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[[Category:Philosophy]]
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[[Category: Philosophy]]

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