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by kelana on July 18th, 2008

kelana

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Whats the difference between Hypothesis and Theory. Can these be use as evidence to prove a point.

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  • by BenjaminDeParadiso on July 19th, 2008

    BenjaminDeParadiso

    A hypothesis is a theoretical answer to a question. I.E. hypothesis and theory are the same thing, and since they are theoretical, they cannot be used as evidence. For example, if I walk outside my home and see a red sky, I might ask, "Why is the sky red?" At that point in the scientific process I could suggest hypotheses (or theories) as to why the sky is red at that point in time.

    Hypothesis 1: The sun is setting
    Hypothesis 2: There is a nearby fire causing the sun to cast a red hue

    The next step is the scientific process is to test the hypotheses. Testing number 1 is simple; I look at my watch. It is 11am, so the sun is not setting. To test number 2, I call the local fire station and ask if any fires are burning nearby. The fire station operator tells me, "Yes." This is evidence to support hypothesis 2, so I may choose to accept hypothesis 2, perform more tests or refine my hypotheses and then continue testing.

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  • by agjay76 on January 10th, 2009

    agjay76

    Hypothesis and theory are NOT the same thing.

    A hypothesis attempts to answer questions by putting forth a plausible explanation that has yet to be rigorously tested. A theory, on the other hand, has already undergone extensive testing by various scientists and is generally accepted as being an accurate explanation of an observation. This doesn’t mean the theory is correct; only that current testing has not yet been able to disprove it, and the evidence as it is understood, appears to support it.

    A theory will often start out as a hypothesis -- an educated guess to explain observable phenomenon. The scientist will attempt to poke holes in his or her hypothesis. If it survives the applied methodologies of science, it begins to take on the significance of a theory to the scientist. The next step is to present the findings to the scientific community for further, independent testing. The more a hypothesis is tested and holds up, the better accepted it becomes as a theory.

    The "theory" of evolution, for example, has been rigorously tested for many years, but has failed to provide supportive data, yet the scientific community embraces it as a theory. Therefore, evolution should still be classified as a hypothesis.

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