William of Ockham, a 14^th-century English philosopher curated one of the most obvious, yet important life lessons that one can know. Frequently cited as Entia non sunt mutliplicanda praeter necessitate, roughly translating to “entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity”, his philosophical razor advocates for the hypothesis of fewest assumptions as the best explanation predictor.

There are hundreds of examples that this shows to be true, for instance, in science, the heliocentric model was simpler and this more accepted than the geocentric one, even if Copernicus wasn’t entirely correct at first. However, some claim it to be oversimplification of immensely detailed conundrums, but the joy comes from its generalisability and minimalism. For example, the hypothesis of fewest assumptions may not mean few assumptions, but instead, just less than its counterpart. As a result, we have reduced complexity, helping locate a finite answer to deeply interconnected issues, alongside enhancing our decision-making processes.

A prime example of this was shown to me today from the British Journal of Sports Medicine. On the 7^th of January 2025, an extensive inquiry into cancer progression was published, showing that engaging in efficient and regular physical activity reduced the risk of cancer progression compared to inactive individuals

I understand this is a simple conclusion to make, but no matter how easy it is to comprehend, it still amazes me that most of our population completely disregard it. Instead, they opt for the complex pharmaceutical or hard dieting approaches, as there is an odd complexity bias within human nature. Now, don’t get me wrong, medicine and nutrition completely have their case, but, taking Occam’s Razor, and research such as this, we conclude that intense, regular exercise, is only beneficial, especially in those with cancer.

This study from the BJSM offers a sudden insight, or as others would put it, a facepalm moment, into the benefits of physical activity in relation to cancer outcome. This research, analysed from 28,247 diverse individuals with stage 1 cancer, told us that those who engaged in physical activity before their cancer diagnosis showed significantly better outcomes in progression and mortality. However, those with low activity levels (less than 60 minutes per week) had a 16% reduced risk of progression compared to completely inactive, suggesting that any exercise is better than none.

Furthermore, this study also suggested a reduction in all-cause mortality by 33% for those with low activity and 47% for those with higher levels when compared to no recorded physical exercise.

Putting it simply, this research aligns perfectly with the previous principle of Occam’s Razor. For example, instead of assuming a complex interplay of genetics, environment and lifestyle, that requires a deep understanding alongside expensive and invasive procedures, this study suggests that conducting physical activity throughout life can yield substantial health benefits, especially in relation to cancer.

By focusing on something as straightforward as jogging or weightlifting, we can bypass our complexity bias, not only empowering the individual, but also possibly reducing healthcare reliance, enhancing QOL, and encouraging the most beneficial form of healthcare – prevention.