[zmmmmm]

> I would define simplicity as "the approach that minimizes cognitive load while meeting all other objectives"

That's one dimension of simplicity, but it doesn't take into account some of the other benefits of simplicity, such as, eg: robustness. Another definition would be "the approach that minimizes the total number of possible interactions" (akin to "moving parts" in a physical machine). In that sense, the fewer total possible interactions, the fewer places something can break. There might be MORE cognitive load to a human in direct sense, but the system is far more constrained to only do the "right thing".

I sometimes think of the generalization of it being "the approach that minimises the total state space of the system, including the brain of the human trying to understand it".