What's a theory?

Question

The dictionary uses too many hard words for my simple atheist brain. Can someone (preferably a Christian since they are very knowledgeable in the sciences), explain to me what a theory is in layman's terms?

Thank you.

Answer 1

A theory is the second step in the Test of the Scientific Method. To be scientific an idea must be observable, theorizable, testable, and repeatable.

To write a theory means to write your idea in such a way that it explains your observations in a way which can be tested.

If you have no observations you don't have a theory, you have an imagination. If your theory is not testable you don't have a theory, you have an idea. You don't even have to be able to test it, just come up with some kind of test that could be done if you had the right equipment at some point in the future.

Observable means you must be able to measure it, or it's effects, in some way.

Testable means your theory must be written in such a way that it could be proven false under some condition. If your theory can never be proven false (such as some people's ideas about evolution) then it's not a theory. It's a belief.

Repeatable means someone else must be able to repeat your test without your help and get the same results you did.

Plato's logical thought taught us how to think. The test of the scientific method taught us how to test what we think. Although science was started by Christians, it requires no religious belief of any kind (Christian or evolutionary). Atheists can use it just as well. If any idea cannot meet these four steps, it isn't scientific. Hope this helps. May God bless your pursuit of Truth.

Answer 2

a theory is something put forth to try and explain the available data

in some cases, if the situation is repeatable, testable and observable, one might try to see if new data is also consistent with the theory (i.e. the scientific method which was developed by creationists in past ages)

in some cases, such as many aspects of history, the scientific method may not apply because the siuation is neither observable nor repeatable and something more akin to detective work is employed

if a hypothesis doesnt have sufficient support to confirm or reject it, it may be better refered to as a speculation. The big bang and macro evolution might be

Answer 3

rofl... Christians are knowledgable in the sciences? No they aren't. They prefer to deny science.

Theory, in regular laymans definition is "guess".

SCIENTIFIC theory is not. It means the body of all factual work pertaining to a given subject that has been tested and retested over a long period of time by many many different scientists. Kind of like musical theory. Music isn't a guess, is it? No, music is a fact.

Answer 4

The word actually has two quite distinct meanings, which confuses people.

1. A hypothesis, a conjecture, a proposition, or

2. A way of organising scientific data that has predictive value.

Don't get the two mixed up. In science it's nearly always the second meaning.

Answer 5

I like most of the answers I read... a theory is like a guess with facts to support it, almost like a hypothesis except a hypothesis can be tested with scientific experiment and a theory can not. if it is proved, it is no longer a theory, it becomes a theorem. hope this clears up some misconceptions.

Answer 6

Yes, I can explain....a theory, in science, is an idea of something existing, or how it works etc etc and in science once someone declares a theory, unless someone can disprove it, it gains validity.
As it gains validity, it is of course looked into farther.
The art of coming up with theories, is philosophy, they come up with ideas, and discuss truths, beliefs etc

Answer 7

Christians are very knowledgable in the sciences? You haven't been reading the answers in here very carefully.

Answer 8

Like a hypothesis, an intelligent, educated guess based on observed or well grounded facts. If proven, theory becomes fact.

Answer 9

the·o·ry (thē'ə-rē, thîr'ē)
n., pl. -ries.
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.
The branch of a science or art consisting of its explanatory statements, accepted principles, and methods of analysis, as opposed to practice: a fine musician who had never studied theory.
A set of theorems that constitute a systematic view of a branch of mathematics.
Abstract reasoning; speculation: a decision based on experience rather than theory.
A belief or principle that guides action or assists comprehension or judgment: staked out the house on the theory that criminals usually return to the scene of the crime.
An assumption based on limited information or knowledge; a conjecture.

Answer 10

People should understand "theory" from the scientific perspective.

Thank you for posting zis