Quote:
Originally Posted by piece-itpete
We are in more agreement than it may appear. But the problem is folks take theory as fact.
|
A bigger problem is people don't know what "theory" means with regard to science. The words "theory" and "fact" probably don't even belong in the same context. Science would prefer "law", I think, to "fact". However, that's not to understate the validity of a scientific "theory". If a theory is not consistent with observation, then it is not a scientific theory. There is a bar that has to be met in order for a hypothesis to be called a theory. I can say "it's my theory that the moon is actually made of cheese." While in colloquial speech that may be grammatically correct, it is *not* a scientific theory. We have made observations that are in direct conflict with that hypothesis.
People exploit this confusion in terms to promote an agenda. It's popular to say "that's just a theory" when talking about science that an indifidual doesn't much like. To which it is popular to respond "so is gravity- so why don't you jump off a roof".