From Merriam-Webster online:
theory
the*o*ry
1: the analysis of a set of facts in their relation to one another
2: abstract thought
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
For those of you still reading, I invite you to notice that definition 5 is placed above definition 6. And #6 uses two forms of the root "ASSUME." How many of us learned in grade school that what you ASSUME something, you make an ASS out of U and ME?
For further reading on the word theory, please see:
atomic theory (note: not one of the people in Cobb County, GA discount the physics that powers their cars, lights, and blackberries, I'm assuming)
cell theory (that's right--we can see cells, but they still are only part of a logical argument known as a theory)
And, my favorite theory outside of biology: gravitational theory
Of course, that last one could be easily explained by God's divine ability to hold us all to Earth with his might and will. When the creationists turn out to be right, and the Bible is proven to be the literal divine word instead of--oh, say, a text crafted by the admittedly faulty writers who are members of the human race attempting to translate holy orders?--I will be the first to apologize for believing anything about this gravity and evolution nonsense.
Sarcasm, n. The second thing God gave mankind after Free Will.
theory
the*o*ry
1: the analysis of a set of facts in their relation to one another
2: abstract thought
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
For those of you still reading, I invite you to notice that definition 5 is placed above definition 6. And #6 uses two forms of the root "ASSUME." How many of us learned in grade school that what you ASSUME something, you make an ASS out of U and ME?
For further reading on the word theory, please see:
atomic theory (note: not one of the people in Cobb County, GA discount the physics that powers their cars, lights, and blackberries, I'm assuming)
cell theory (that's right--we can see cells, but they still are only part of a logical argument known as a theory)
And, my favorite theory outside of biology: gravitational theory
Of course, that last one could be easily explained by God's divine ability to hold us all to Earth with his might and will. When the creationists turn out to be right, and the Bible is proven to be the literal divine word instead of--oh, say, a text crafted by the admittedly faulty writers who are members of the human race attempting to translate holy orders?--I will be the first to apologize for believing anything about this gravity and evolution nonsense.
Sarcasm, n. The second thing God gave mankind after Free Will.