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O

OCCASIONALISM. A position advo-
cated by Malebranche (among others)
that natural causes (as in your willing to
move your hand) are occasions when
God exercises causal power to bring
about the natural effect.

OCKHAM, WILLIAM OF (c. 1285–
1349). An English philosophical theo-
logian in the Franciscan tradition who
championed nominalism, the view that
there are no Platonic forms or Aristote-
lian kinds. Ockham’s rejection of these
frameworks as unnecessary is the basis
for subsequent reference to Ockham’s
razor (see OCKHAM’S RAZOR). His
position on nominalism is sometimes
seen as challenging medieval sacramental
realism (the idea that Christ is present in
the sacrament of the Eucharist), but there
is no reason logically why nominalism
should have that entailment. Ockham
famously held that divine commands can
overrule moral precepts, e.g., even if it is
a moral precept that suicide is wrong, a
suicide may be permissible or required
if commanded by God. Ockham’s works

include Four Books of the Sentences (c.

1323), Summa of Logic (before 1329), and

Quodlibeta septem (before 1333).

OCKHAM’S RAZOR. From the original

Latin phrase Entia non sunt multiplicanda

praeter necessitatem, meaning “Entities

are not to be multiplied beyond necessity.”

Ockham writes, “Frustra fit per plura quod

potest fieri per pauciora,” which is Latin

for “It is pointless to do with more

[things] what can be done with fewer.”

Ockham’s razor has been used widely by

both naturalists and theists to defend

their own positions while indirectly

opposing others by claiming to have the

simplest theory about a given subject

such as ontology.

OMISSION, SIN OF. Failing to do one’s

duty. An omission can be a matter of

negligence when it involves a failure to

act in a given role (e.g., an irresponsible

lifeguard) or reckless if this is not tied

to a role or vocation (e.g., reckless

driving).