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Research draft

scientific theory

vr.tr.scientific-theory · INF.KNW

Let an agent explain what a scientific theory is and how it differs from hypothesis, law and everyday usage, describe specific theories and their evidence with attribution, and support science literacy.

Thing Registry Information and virtual systems

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent explain what a scientific theory is and how it differs from hypothesis, law and everyday usage, describe specific theories and their evidence with attribution, and support science literacy.

A well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural or social world, built on a body of evidence, tested hypotheses and predictive power, such as the theory of evolution, plate tectonics, quantum theory or economic and ecological theories, and distinguished from hypotheses, laws, models and from everyday use of theory as a guess; theories are revised or replaced as evidence accumulates.

What it is for: Explanatory frameworks in science.

It can be explain what a scientific theory is; distinguish theory, hypothesis, law and model; describe specific theories and evidence; address misunderstandings.

Distinguishing features

Explanatory

Evidence-based

Predictive

Revisable

What it looks like

Not physical; explanatory frameworks in publications.

How it is recognised

Explains and predicts

Evidence-based and tested

A hypothesis is a testable proposal; a law is a descriptive regularity

Related models

is a kind of - category

theory

is a kind of - category

scientific knowledge

is related to - a field applying theories

epidemiology

is related to - an area of competing hypotheses

causes of schizophrenia

In practice

Families and kinds

physical theories

biological theories such as evolution

earth and ecological theories

social science theories

superseded and fringe theories

Standards and regulation

Norms of peer review and replication

Science education standards

No regulation of theories themselves

Failure modes and hazards

Treating theory as mere guess

Presenting fringe claims as theories

Overstating certainty

Also called

misidentified chemical elementlinguistic relativismecological theorystatistical associating fluid theorytheory of evolutionWu–Yang dictionaryriboceptor theorytheory of gasocrine signalingtheory of thermocrine signalingeffective theoryagathologyPolfluchtintelligence theoryacid–base theoryBethe–Salpeter equationalternatives to general relativitysuperseded scientific theorytheory of languagepolitical theoryaether theoriesphyletic gradualismcultural evolutionevolutionary conceptevolutionary theoryCharles Darwin's theory of evolutionalternatives to evolution by natural selectionCultural group selectionheavy quark effective theoryLux–Flood acid–base theoryArrhenius acid–base theoryExtended theories of gravityMechanical explanations of gravitationdiscredited hypotheses for the Cambrian explosiontheory of imperialismassociationalismcoattail effectprohibitionism

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Source repository Registry entry point

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Concept What a theory is.

Philosophy of science.

Definition

Definition and distinctions.

Definition

Definition.

  1. What makes an explanation a scientific theory, and how does it differ from a hypothesis, law or model? definition
  2. Why does theory not mean guess in science? definition

Change

How theories change.

Change

Change.

  1. How are theories tested, revised, superseded or retained, according to philosophers and historians of science? provenance
  2. What are examples of superseded theories? provenance
Specific A specific theory.

Evidence.

Explain

Explaining a theory.

Explain

Explanation.

  1. What does this theory claim, what evidence supports it, and what does it predict? provenance
  2. Which entry fits it? action

Status

Scientific status.

Status

Status.

  1. How well established is this theory, and are there open questions or competing theories, with positions attributed? boundary
  2. Is a fringe claim being presented as a theory? boundary
Literacy Public understanding.

Communication.

Misunderstand

Common misunderstandings.

Misunderstand

Misunderstandings.

  1. Which public misunderstandings surround terms such as theory of evolution, and how can they be addressed? provenance
  2. How should uncertainty be communicated? action

Contested

Socially contested theories.

Contested

Contested theories.

  1. Where a theory is socially or politically contested, how are scientific consensus and other positions attributed? boundary
  2. Which sources document consensus? provenance
Learn Teaching.

Education.

Teach

Teaching theories.

Teach

Teaching.

  1. How can the nature of scientific theories be taught? action
  2. Which misconceptions arise? provenance

History

History of the concept.

History

History.

  1. How has the concept of scientific theory developed from natural philosophy to modern science? provenance
  2. Which philosophers shaped it? provenance

What the second pass must settle

  • Should each major theory be a separate entry?
  • How should evidence summaries be linked?
  • How should superseded theories be presented?
Draft as JSON