A common complaint that "science bashers" raise in philosophical discussions is that certain arguments are "only theories" and as such, they cannot be taken credibly.

I have decided to dispell this unfortunate myth.

As we wrestle with the universe to pin down its secrets, we organize our ideas and findings into theories.
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Defintion:
Theory - an intregrated set of principles that explain and predict observed events.
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In everyday conversation, the word "theory" often means "less than fact". A middle ground between fact and guess.

To the scientist, facts and theories are different things. Facts are agreed upon statements about what we observe. Theories are ideas that summarize and explain facts.

However, theories do not only summarize, they also imply testable predictions called hypotheses. By making specific predictions, a theory "puts its money where its mouth is", so to speak.

Hypotheses allow us to test the theory, test relationships between events, and give direction to research.

Finally, the predictive feature of a good theory makes it practical. For example, the theory of gravity is practical because we can use it to make extremely accurate predictions in fields such as rocket science and cosmology.

Similarily, theories of quantum mechanics, relativity and evolution have exceptional predictive power, thue making them very practical.
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Thank you for your time.

- BBak