Register | Sign In


Understanding through Discussion


EvC Forum active members: 65 (9162 total)
2 online now:
Newest Member: popoi
Post Volume: Total: 915,807 Year: 3,064/9,624 Month: 909/1,588 Week: 92/223 Day: 3/17 Hour: 1/0


Thread  Details

Email This Thread
Newer Topic | Older Topic
  
Author Topic:   Evolving the Musculoskeletal System
Kapyong
Member (Idle past 3442 days)
Posts: 344
Joined: 05-22-2003


(2)
Message 517 of 527 (600268)
01-13-2011 5:17 PM


Greetings ICDesign,
It is all too common for people to confuse the two meanings of the word "theory".
In popular terms, "theory" means a guess, or speculation. Thus the common phrase "just a theory" meaning "just speculation", "just an untested idea", merely a claim that might be true.
But,
in scientific terms, there is another, different, meaning to the word "theory" - it means an EXPLANATION.
Theories EXPLAIN facts
Theories explain the facts we observe :
Gravity is a fact, we observe its effects.
Gravitational Theory describes how gravity works.
Electricity is a fact, we use it everyday.
Electromagnetic Theory explains the details of how it operates.
Germs are a fact.
Germ Theory explains how they cause disease.
Evolution is a fact, it is observed.
The Theory of Evolution explains how it works.
the ToE is an EXPLANATION, NOT speculation
The Theory of Evolution is NOT "speculation about evolution" - that is NOT what the phrase means at all.
Rather -
the Theory of Evolution is the EXPLANATION for how evolution works, it models the behaviour of the FACTS of evolution, and allows predictions to be made.
Just as Electromagnetic Theory is the explanation or model of how electricity works.
Would one say "electricity is just a theory" ?
Of course not.
And Gravitational Theory is the explanation or model of how gravity works.
Would one say "gravity is just a theory" ?
Of course not.
And Germ Theory is the explanation or model of how germs cause disease.
Would one say "germs are just a theory" ?
Of course not.
Yet
some people say
"evolution is (just) a theory"
as if it means
"evolution is merely untested speculation" (false)
when it really only means
"evolution is an explanation, or model" (true)
Claiming "evolution is just a theory" indicates lack of understanding of the word, and how science operates, and that the ToE is an explanation for observed facts.
EVOLUTION = FACT & THEORY
Evolution is a FACT.
We observe evolution.
And,
the Theory of Evolution is the EXPLANATION, or model, for the observed facts of evolution.
Kapyong
Edited by Kapyong, : No reason given.
Edited by Kapyong, : Minor adds.

  
Newer Topic | Older Topic
Jump to:


Copyright 2001-2023 by EvC Forum, All Rights Reserved

™ Version 4.2
Innovative software from Qwixotic © 2024