In one word, why did most scientists resist the belief that Clever Hans could do complex mathematics, even before they had a good explanation of what he was actually doing?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The principle of parsimony, which states that simpler explanations are generally preferred over more complex ones, would lead scientists to resist the belief that Clever Hans could do complex mathematics without first exploring more plausible explanations.

In One Word, Why Did Most Scientists Resist the Belief