Statistical learning theory and Occam's razor: The argument from empirical risk minimization

Tom F. Sterkenburg

Published 2023-12-21Version 1

This paper considers the epistemic justification for a simplicity preference in inductive inference that may be obtained from the machine learning framework of statistical learning theory. Uniting elements from both earlier arguments suggesting and rejecting such a justification, the paper spells out a qualified means-ends and model-relative justificatory argument, built on statistical learning theory's central mathematical learning guarantee for the method of empirical risk minimization.