Superfluous causes under Newton's philosophy are originated when trying to explain more than there is to be explained.
Under Newton's Rules of Reasoning on Philosophy, his first rule states that:
- "We are to admit no more causes of natural things than such as are both true and sufficient to explain their appearances."
This rule eliminates unnecessary information about a theory, (unnecessary aspects are the same as superfluous causes), there is no need to make something more complicated than it is, the simpler the better, and when more information is added more information will be in vain, since "nature is pleased with simplicity".