Does ANY theist understand the difference between a "Hypothesis" and a "Theory"?

Question

It seems most do not.
How many of you HAD TO LOOK the definitions up TO ANSWER this??

If you want non-believers like myself to take you even slightly seriously, it helps to know the definitions of the words you use...if only to stop your point being lost in the laughter...

Suzanne: I suggest you look it up in a real dictionary.

K9: erm, no. I don't tend to have theological debates with children. Nice way to avoid a tricky question though. You are obviously guilty of this misunderstanding, eh?

hazydaze: on the contrary, when conducting a debate for example, it becomes necessary to use words in their correct definitions so as to avoid misinformation and misunderstandings.
Personally, I suggest you try it sometime...

Answer 1

Yes they don't understand that words mean different things in different contexts. They assume the meanings in science are the same as how they are used in everyday life. This is a result of them being completely ignorant about science.

For instance in Science a Theory is:

A set of statements or principles devised to explain a group of facts or phenomena, especially one that has been repeatedly tested or is widely accepted and can be used to make predictions about natural phenomena.

I find discussing science with religious people to be nearly impossible. It is like trying to explain calculus to my 5 year old grandson. They have neither the background or inclination to learn anything about science and they are filled with so many misconceptions that it is almost impossible to educate them.

Answer 2

A hypothesis is what you expect to happen.

A theory is the cohesive framework in whcih you base your results.
Since you are in the religion group,

A hypothesis for the faithful could be probably something like :

God is good and his intentions are good.

The theory behind this could be the Koran and the Bible.

The problem with these theories is that, while internally cohesive, they do not have any link to the outside sensory woprld. So much like Freud's theories, they can't be proven or disproven.

In my opinion the only theories that make sense are theories which only recitate experimental results. No imagining what is going on until we have an experimental causal relationship.

GOOD QUESTION!

Answer 3

Technically, a "hypothesis" is a half-assed idea that's pretty broken. a "theory" is the very same half-assed idea that has all the holes patched up by other theories... and in a few decades or centuries or so, has all the holes blown open again by some new theory. Hypothesis = "This might have happened, but this says so otherwise" (the assumption of an experiment). Theory = "This might have happened" (the end result of an experiment).

Linguistically, there is no difference. Both are adjectives that refer to an unproven idea that is neither fact ("A candle's wick is intended to be flammable") nor truth ("Heartache hurts"), and can be easily modified to fit any given data about the subject.

Answer 4

A hypothesis is a suggested explanation of a phenomenon or reasoned proposal suggesting a possible correlation between multiple phenomena. The term derives from the ancient Greek, hypotithenai meaning "to put under" or "to suppose". The scientific method requires that one can test a scientific hypothesis. Scientists generally base such hypotheses on previous observations or on extensions of scientific theories.

In common usage, people often use the word theory to signify a conjecture, an opinion, or a speculation. In this usage, a theory is not necessarily based on facts, in other words, it is not required to be consistent with true descriptions of reality. True descriptions of reality are more reflectively understood as statements that would be true independently of what people think about them

Answer 5

My problem with the churchy crowd is that they lock onto the word theory (i.e. theory of evolution) claiming it must be something some loudmouth thought up that can simply be denied as being untrue despite all the empirical evidence. At some point gravitation and the speed of light were theories, but no one is seriously trying to have those taken out of the science books. Maybe they should. Maybe we should start a theory that there is no such thing as gravity, but like the bumper stickers say, the Earth just sucks.

Answer 6

A hypothesis is an educated guess based on research and a theory is a group of conclusions performed many times by many different people. At least, from the scientific standpoint, it is. Haha. And, no, I did not have to look that up.

Answer 7

I haven't looked at a dictionary. I believe a hypothesis is an idea derived from thought without trial and error only logic. a=b+c so therefore c must =a-b.
Theory is also logical thought but if has fact to base it's end results on even thought the thought still hasn't been prov en.

Answer 8

So you also laugh at children's answers to physics questions that you can't answer? Hm! How does bouyancy work for heavier than water ships as compared to Submarines? did you have to ask wikipedia!? I invent hypothesis all the time and my grandchildren love to hear them! Or is this just a theory!

Answer 9

Oh, let's be fair now. Plenty do. It's the rabid scriptural literalists who come here regurgitating everything that their self-interested preacher has spoon-fed them who take the word 'theory' to mean 'something scribbled on the back of a cocktail napkin while drunk at a bar one night'.

It's them who's got the loudest voice. And they're not worried about something like reason or logic to tear down their arguments.

Answer 10

No, I didn't have to look up the definitions. Being religious doesn't mean you failed science in school.

Really, I doubt that it bothers you so much that people don't use the proper terminology. Far more likely, you simply wish to mock those who don't agree with your beliefs.