You will build better models, communicate them more effectively, and increase the odds that you have understood something real about the world. Until that time, keep focusing relentlessly on simplifying your methods and models to the point where degradation in performance is significant relative to your application. When the time comes when our algorithms are for the sole consumption of our machine overlords, you can chuck the principle of parsimony and be as opaque as you please. This is 2019 – and our predictive modeling efforts are still for review and use by other humans. transparent and easier to understand approaches). ![]() Under the maximum-parsimony criterion, the optimal tree will minimize the amount of homoplasy (i.e., convergent evolution, parallel evolution, and evolutionary reversals). 10 predictors instead of 5), but also applies to modeling techniques (e.g. In phylogenetics, maximum parsimony is an optimality criterion under which the phylogenetic tree that minimizes the total number of character-state changes is to be preferred. And by the way, this does not apply to the final model form (e.g. Most of the time one would (and should) trade-off some performance for simplicity. Familiarity information: PRINCIPLE OF PARSIMONY used as a noun is very rare. In fact, they are sub-optimal if simpler models with fewer assumptions are possible with little or no loss of performance. Dictionary entry overview: What does principle of parsimony mean. The best we can do is evaluate factors and choose the most likely explanation. Until the day comes that dogs will start talking, these explanations are just fruit of speculation so we really can only make assumptions. We often try to give explanations to behaviors our dogs display. Predictive modeling is no exception in my opinion. Applying The Principle of Parsimony to Animal Behavior. Larger, messier representations of reality convey a feeling that more work needs to be done to distill out irrelevant details and get to a deeper state of understanding. As Mark Twain once remarked: I did not have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.Įven in the sciences, compact equations ( e=mc 2) are elegant and seem to demonstrate that we have understood something about our reality in a profound way. Perhaps it also applies to transmittal of information more generally. Scientists recognize the great value in the frugality of parsimony and have found that the term is useful in psychology as well. I believe it applies well to predictive modeling and programming in general. The most straightforward meaning of the word 'parsimony' is 'excessive or extreme thriftiness, economy, or frugality.' Other synonyms include penny-pinching, tightfistedness, ungenerousness, miserliness, and selfishness. You may have heard the phrase ‘ less is more‘.
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