The Criteria for Best

Philosophers have identified several qualities that make one explanation better than another:

• Explanatory scope — it accounts for a wider range of observations
• Explanatory power — it makes the observations highly expected rather than merely possible
• Simplicity (Occam's Razor) — it requires fewer assumptions and entities
• Consistency — it fits with well-established background knowledge
• Testability — it generates predictions that can be checked.