evolution: theory or fact?

[wanton_heat_jet]

In Kentucky, State Representative Tim Moore has introduced a bill to question evolution in public schools. He says, "Our kids are being presented theories as though they are facts." If he's right, then there really is a problem. Evolution is way more important than any mere fact. In science, a theory is a broad explanation for many facts, something

Comments

[robin_d_laws]

Isn't it damned inconvenient that the popular meaning of the term "theory" is the reverse of the scientific meaning?

[pneumatik]

A hypothesis is a possible explanation of a phenomenon. A theory is a hypothesis that has a solid body of evidence supporting it as true. A law is something that is commonly accepted as fact. The big difference between a theory and a law is that scientists have generally given up on disproving a law because all attempts to do so have actually supported the theory

hypothesis, theory, and law

[wanton_heat_jet]

pneumatik-

Would you have a handy citation for your explanation of theories versus laws? And maybe an explanation for why the germ theory of disease isn't called the germ law of disease?

-Jonathan

Re: hypothesis, theory, and law

[pneumatik]

Huh. It looks like my understanding of the hypothesis-theory-law hierarchy is at odds with at least wikipedia. In my defense, it's what I was taught in school growing up. It seems the actual difference between a theory in a law is that a law is a rule describing reality in certain conditions that is universally accepted as true, while a theory combines one or more laws or rules of activity with observed events. So in that regard the germ theory of disease is called a theory because it takes rules about germ travel, infection, antibiotics, etc. and combines them with observations of germs. It predicts ways to keep people from getting sick, how diseases will spread, etc. that have been tested and found to be true

Teaching of Evolution in schools

[anonymous]

NOVA Science TV Channel is best resource to judge this religious figment of imagination against evolution. Keep religion out of schools its retrogressive and makes a child ignorant.