"Hanlon's Razor" states: "Never attribute to malice what can be explained stupidity" Bashny.Net

«Never attribute to malice what can be explained stupidity».

blockquote> For the first time the phrase was used by Robert J.. Hanlon in 1980 as an epigraph to the book of jokes about the laws of Murphy. Hanlon's Razor - a clear analogy with Occam's razor. Earlier, in 1941, the year used a similar phrase American science fiction writer Robert Heinlein in "The logic of empire." His phrase was: "You are trying to explain the malignant intent that is the result of the usual stupidity».

However, similar phrases uttered and other intelligent people - politicians and writers. Napoleon Bonaparte, for example, said: "Never ascribe malice what can be fully explained by incompetence." Bernard Ingham, press secretary, Margaret Thatcher, agreed with him: "Many journalists are very susceptible to the conspiracy theory of government. I assure you, they obtained the materials would be far more credible if they adhere to the theory that the government screwed up ».

Russian writer Victor Pelevin gave a witty play on words on the same subject: "The world is ruled not a secret lodge, and sheer crap».

Whatever it was, many agree on one thing: do not look for a conspiracy where there is none. Perhaps the person (or the government, depending on the circumstances) just made a stupid mistake - one of those who constantly perform without exception.

via factroom.ru