I want to discuss something that is extremely important and one of my major pet peeves. Many people misuse the terms “theory” and “hypothesis” interchangeably. This is an enormous mistake, especially concerning science. In science the word “theory” is accompanied by an overwhelming amount of evidence, for example, the theory of evolution. When I hear people say, “It’s just a theory,” I smack my head. That statement is an example of ignorance. It is vitally important to distinguish the two, especially in science. A hypothesis is a guess, a thought, a hunch, an idea, an untested statement, a scientific wild ass guess, speculation. It may be based on some observations, but is very far off from a “theory,” I can’t state enough how important it is to distinguish between the two.I’ll get off of my soap box now and let you return to your regularly scheduled program.


Ryan

Tags: Hypothesis, Science, Evolution, Theory