ANSWERS: 1
  • Outside the world of science, a "theory" is a concept that is generally accepted only in some tentative fashion as opposed to regarding it as having been conclusively established. In everyday language a theory means a hunch or speculation. Some scientific explanations are so well established that no new evidence is likely to alter them. The explanation becomes a scientific theory. In science, the word "theory" refers to a comprehensive explanation of an important feature of nature supported by facts gathered over time. Theories also allow scientists to make predictions about as yet unobserved phenomena. A SCIENTIFIC theory is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world, based on a body of facts that have been repeatedly confirmed through observation and experiment. Such fact-supported theories are not "guesses" but reliable accounts of the real world. The theory of biological evolution is more than "just a theory." It is as factual an explanation of the universe as the atomic theory of matter or the germ theory of disease. Our understanding of gravity is still a work in progress. But the phenomenon of gravity, like evolution, is an accepted fact. Bottom line: People who want to say that evolution isn't a valid concept will use "theory" in the first sense: a theory is some idea based on not-so-solid facts. But that's not a correct use of the word "theory" because they're talking about a scientific concept. Scientists use "theory" when referring to something you can actually test over and over and get consistent results. Evolution is this kind of theory. I hope this explains it satisfactorally.

Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC

Answerbag | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy