The Biological Bulletin, Vol 190, Issue 2 243-244, Copyright © 1996 by Marine Biological Laboratory

VIEWS AND DISCUSSION

We Still Invoke Friction and Occam's Razor to Explain Catch in the Spines of Eucidaris tribuloides

J. Del Castillo and D. S. Smith
Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico, MSC, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00901

The principle of economy that emerged from the views of William of Occam, namely that where alternative hypotheses exist, the one involving the fewest assumptions is to be preferred, is still valid in science. Indeed, it was the application of "Occam's razor" that led us to propose a new model (1) to explain that mechanism of catch contraction in the primary spines of Eucidaris tribuloides--the model that I. C. Wilkie (2) considers inadequate through its failure to invoke collagen mutability.

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