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Why did William of Ockham join the Franciscan order?
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William of Ockham
English theologian and philosopher William of Ockham, detail from a stained-glass window, c. 1985; in All Saints' Church, Ockham, Surrey, England.
Little is known about the childhood of William of Ockham, including the specific reasons why he joined the Franciscan order. Historical records only indicate that he entered the order while he was still a youngster.1