Did you know the word theory is just that? It means theory and nothing else?

Question

Evolutionist are trying to change the word because the universities are adding words to the definition. Go and look up websters definition not the wilkpedia or any new one. It clearly say`s : " ABSTRACT THOUGHT OR SPECULATION, AN UNPROVED ASSUMTION, HYPOTHESIS ASSUMED FOR THE SAKE OF ARGUMENT OR INVESTIGATION." The universties are trying to change the english language thru the coersion of passing students grades so they can go and get a diploma and make alot of money. It`s real simple, the majority of proffesors in charge are agnostic and anti-christian.

The word fact is totally different which means: performance, doing, ACTUALITY

ASSUMPTION, this spell check sucks

The ttheory of gravity is not in websters dictionary and is A NEW IDEA NOT A FACT.

science cannot change the english language. It is what it say`s. It has not the authority to do so.

Answer 1

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/theory

Read this carefully,

then embarrass yourself with another question.


EDIT:
"science cannot change the english language. It is what it say`s. It has not the authority to do so."

- so you are now telling us that another issue you have is that you do not understand how language evolves.

Think about this. You sit there looking at your computer "screen." Should you insist that this device belongs only in your window to keep bugs out?

How about "bugs?" Are they insects or are they quirks that infect your computer?

How do you think Latin became the languages of Spanish, Italian, French, Romanian, Portuguese and so on?


You know, there comes a time in the lives of honest people when they admit that they don't know what the Hell their talking about.

Answer 2

Gosh, really?

[edit:] Hang on, 'science' doesn't have the authority to change the English language? Who grants that authority? I wasn't aware that there was a governing body anywhere in the world or in history that decided what words could or couldn't be in the English language. We're not the French, you know.

Dictionaries choose to include new words depending on their relevancy. But they don't control in any way what words are used.

By the way, if you are going to use a dictionary as a bible (cough), I'd have avoided picking Noah Webster's. Using a misanthropic pedant's work to strengthen your argument, well...

Answer 3

It's hard to change the world, isn't it?
Up next, the word to be changed will be "marriage" which is a lobbyist now for transitional practices of the sicko's... Then the next will be "Church" since it's directly linked to the word "marriage" and actually we'll have a 'people's Church" where a minister can't turn down anyone or he's going to answer to the committee for having to pay major law suits.
Most of all, when you teach a theory as fact since kindergarten, when they become scientists they're almost afraid to let go of the THEORY... because it was their breast that fed their brain all this time.
And FYI whomever made the statement that the educated people tend to be non-Christians... a bunch of crap. I happen to know facts, and that's nothing more than a communistic statement. The communist made it look like the Christians were the most ignorant people on the planet, where in fact they were scoring the best grades. Then they started giving them the bad grades, and they couldn't get a re-evaluation, it was denied! When Communism wall came down the universities filled up with the Christian kids!
And don't tell me otherwise, I proved it once to my school, I can prove it again! This world is ruled by control freaks, that don't want their beliefs challenged, and are not really searching for the truth, and if you don't agree with the majority, well, you're ignorant! I heard that before. Didn't scare me.
Fact is... when you want a job done right, you go to your Christian neighbor, cuz he's got standards!

Answer 4

What you've given is the colloquial definition of theory. There is a technical definition used in science, under which a theory is an explanatory model of a phenomenon that makes accurate predictions.

They're not trying to change the language. There's simply a technical usage of the term that's different from colloquial usage. This happens all the time in different fields. For example the word "demand" in economics means something different than the colloquial definition of "demand."

Answer 5

You do realize that words often have more than one definition, right? And that some definitions apply better to different circumstances? There are scientific theories and then their are "theories" like you give the definition for (ironically, this definition is closer to a scientific hypothesis, though it is made synonymous with hypothesis towards the end).

There is no war on the dictionary, I'm afraid.

Answer 6

Sorry, you're confusing its colloquial meaning with its scientific meaning. The meaning of the word theory has a very specific meaning in science. The fact that you would even make this pathetic rant is proof that our public schools suck at giving people a scientific education. If there is a god, he's laughing his as$ off at your pitiful ignorance.

Answer 7

Did you just seriously say that the gravitational theory is not a fact?

In order to be considered a theory in the scientific community, a hypothesis must meet the following criteria:

Logical Criteria
A scientific theory must be:
1. a simple unifying idea that postulates nothing unnecessary ("Occam's Razor")
2. logically consistent
3. logically falsifiable (i.e., cases must exist in which the theory can be imagined to be invalid)
4. clearly limited by explicit boundary conditions so that it is clear whether or not particular data are or are not relevant to verification or falsification

Empirical Criteria
A scientific theory must:
1. be empirically testable or lead to predictions or retrodictions that are testable
2. actually make verified predictions and/or retrodictions
3. involve reproducible results
4. provide criteria for the interpretation of data as factual, artifactual, anomalous or irrelevant

Sociological Criteria
A scientific theory must:
1. resolve recognized problems, paradoxes, and/or anomalies irresolvable on the basis of preexisting theories
2. pose a new set of scientific problems upon which scientists may work
3. suggest a "paradigm" or problem solving model to help resolve these new problems
4. provide definitions of concepts or operations which will help other scientists solve problems.

Historical Criteria
A scientific theory must:
1. meet or surpass all of the criteria set by its predecessors or demonstrate that any abandoned criteria are artifactual
2. be able to explain all of the data gathered under previous relevant theories in terms either of fact or artifact (no anomalies allowed)
3. be consistent with all preexisting ancillary theories that already have established scientific validity

So, as you can see, a *scientific theory* is much more than simple speculation.

EDIT-- Hey "genius", as so you nicely put in your e-mails -- I was not disrespectful of you in this answer, so your blatant sarcasm does nothing but reveal the true nature of your character. But that's neither here nor there, as your character is blatantly revealed over and over on this forum.

If you are only accepting definitions from the Webster dictionary, that's fine, because here's what you conveniently left out. (But that's what literal creationists do best, right?)

theory:
1: the analysis of a set of facts in their relation to one another
2: abstract thought : speculation
3: the general or abstract principles of a body of fact, a science, or an art
4 a: a belief, policy, or procedure proposed or followed as the basis of action b: an ideal or hypothetical set of facts, principles, or circumstances —often used in the phrase in theory
5: a plausible or scientifically acceptable general principle or body of principles offered to explain phenomena
6 a: a hypothesis assumed for the sake of argument or investigation b: an unproved assumption : conjecture c: a body of theorems presenting a concise systematic view of a subject
synonyms see hypothesis

When looking for synonyms for theory in the MERRIAM WEBSTER DICTIONARY, it also says: "hypothesis, theory, law mean a formula derived by inference from scientific data that explains a principle operating in nature. hypothesis implies insufficient evidence to provide more than a tentative explanation . theory implies a greater range of evidence and greater likelihood of truth . law implies a statement of order and relation in nature that has been found to be invariable under the same conditions ."

There you go. I discredited you using your own dictionary. Who's the genius now?

Answer 8

Language is decided by usage, not dictionaries. In science, a theory and an hypothesis are opposite ends of the spectrum, and most educated people tend to be non-Christians because they think things through.

Answer 9

Someone missed the 1st definition on dictionary.com:

1. a coherent group of general propositions used as principles of explanation for a class of phenomena (eg. Einstein's Theory of Relativity)

That doesn't mean conjecture.

Answer 10

And the word for tomorrow, boys and girls, is MYTHOLOGY.

[edit]
My Golly! This rant in defense of the English language is incredible in that the more the ranter rants, the clearer it becomes that he has no concept, whatsoever, of the very language about which he rants.

If this were my question (and it never would be) I would spare myself further humiliation and delete it.