William of Ockham

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/william-of-ockham

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was William of Ockham born?Circa 1287
2. When did William of Ockham die?April 9 or 10, 1347
3. Where was William of Ockham born?Ockham, Surrey, England
4. What is the career?English Franciscan friar, scholastic philosopher, theologian, and political theorist
5. Who was William of Ockham?William of Ockham was a 14th-century English Franciscan friar from the village of Ockham. He was known for his sharp mind and many ideas about philosophy and science.
6. What is Occam's Razor?Occam's Razor is a rule that says we should not add more ideas than necessary. It tells us to choose the simplest explanation that fits the facts.

Nominalism: A philosophical view asserting that abstract concepts are merely names or labels, not independent realities.
Methodological Principle: A guiding rule or strategy used in research or problem-solving to achieve a specific goal.
Scholasticism: A medieval philosophical and theological system emphasizing dialectical reasoning and the integration of faith and reason.