Principle of Parsimony

The principle of parsimony is the prioritization of the simplest possible explanation for provided evidence. This principle is synonymous with Occam’s razor (also spelled as Ockham’s razor), a philosophical rule.

The principle of parsimony is emphasized in Phylogenetics. In phylogenetics, a parsimonious explanation of evolution assumes as few evolutionary changes occurred between taxa. This includes the rise of a new trait via evolution or a 'Reversal of State' Evolution. Biologists assume that the parsimonious explanation is the most likely to be accurate in the evolution of taxa.