A computer programmer works on a coding assignment Hanlon's razor helps to remind computer programmers that many coding errors can be attributed to honest mistakes rather than sabotage. (more) Hanlon’s razor adage Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hanlons-razor Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Laura Payne Laura Payne is a freelance writer whose work covers many topics. She is a former Wayne State University linguistics instructor. Laura Payne Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Feb 6, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot a Question { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is Hanlonu2019s razor? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Hanlonu2019s razor is an adage that suggests not attributing to malice what can be explained by stupidity. It is a heuristic tool that encourages people to consider alternative explanations for actions rather than to assume an intent to harm." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Who is credited with Hanlonu2019s razor? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Hanlonu2019s razor is attributed to Robert J. Hanlon, who submitted it to the book Murphyu2019s Law, Book Two: More Reasons Why Things Go Wrong (1980) by American author Arthur Bloch." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How is Hanlonu2019s razor used in computer programming? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "In computer programming, Hanlonu2019s razor is used as a reminder that many coding errors result from honest mistakes rather than intentional sabotage." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What are some cognitive biases Hanlonu2019s razor helps to combat? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Hanlonu2019s razor helps to combat cognitive biases such as the fundamental attribution error, egocentric bias, the empathy gap, the curse of knowledge, and confirmation bias." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What are some limitations of Hanlonu2019s razor? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Hanlonu2019s razor should be applied cautiously to distinct situations, as some actions may actually have malicious intent. The heuristic does not justify actions because of stupidity but rather helps to determine likely explanations." } } ] } Top Questions What is Hanlon’s razor? Hanlon’s razor is an adage that suggests not attributing to malice what can be explained by stupidity. It is a heuristic tool that encourages people to consider alternative explanations for actions rather than to assume an intent to harm.

　　Who is credited with Hanlon’s razor? Hanlon’s razor is attributed to Robert J. Hanlon, who submitted it to the book Murphy’s Law, Book Two: More Reasons Why Things Go Wrong (1980) by American author Arthur Bloch.

　　How is Hanlon’s razor used in computer programming? In computer programming, Hanlon’s razor is used as a reminder that many coding errors result from honest mistakes rather than intentional sabotage.

　　What are some cognitive biases Hanlon’s razor helps to combat? Hanlon’s razor helps to combat cognitive biases such as the fundamental attribution error, egocentric bias, the empathy gap, the curse of knowledge, and confirmation bias.

　　What are some limitations of Hanlon’s razor? Hanlon’s razor should be applied cautiously to distinct situations, as some actions may actually have malicious intent. The heuristic does not justify actions because of stupidity but rather helps to determine likely explanations.

　　Hanlon’s razor, adage attributed to American writer Robert J. Hanlon that states, “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.” As a heuristic reasoning tool, the statement is a reminder to give others the benefit of the doubt by considering alternative explanations for their actions rather than assuming that they intend harm. For example, if someone does not receive a response from their close friend after sending their friend a text, that person might assume that their friend is upset with them and intentionally not responding. In reality, the friend’s cell phone battery may have died, and ...(100 of 545 words)

　　Access the full article Help support true facts by becoming a member. Subscribe today!