What is a theory?
Can I think of a theory as a description of something?
Should a theory be provable by logic and mathematics?
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$3 Answers
In science, we start out with Natural Laws. These are simply observed phenomena. For example, Gravity is a natural law. Why does it exist? We don't know. It just does.
The "Theory of Gravity", describes the observed phenomena. Originally, we started with Newtonian Mechanics. This theory was later "replaced" by Relativity. I put the word replaced in quotes because there is a saying in science, "A new theory swallows its predecessor alive." An eloquent way of saying that everything that is suitably described by the original theory must also be described by the new theory. Ideally, the new theory will also describe (often predicting in the process) phenomena that the old theory did not.
Should a theory be provable by logic and mathematics?
Not necessarily. Another observable phenomena is animals changing over time. The theory that describes this phenomena is called Evolution. This theory covers a great number of mechanisms not really quantifiable in a mathematical sense. Other aspects do not lend itself to strict logical inferences.
Do these facts make the Theory of Evolution any less viable than a Theory of Gravity? Some could possibly argue, "yes", but personally I accept both theories equally.
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
"Definition: The term "theory" is used with surprising frequency in everyday language. The term theory is often used in everyday language to mean a guess, hunch, or supposition. A theory is a based upon a hypothesis and backed by evidence. A theory presents a concept or idea that is testable. In science, a theory is not merely a guess. A theory is a fact-based framework for describing a phenomenon. In psychology, theories are used to provide a model for understanding human thought, emotions, and behaviors.
A psychological theory has two key components: (1) it must describe a behavior and (2) make predictions about future behaviors. " - Kendra Van Wagner
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$Murphy's law on scientific theories sheds some light on the strengths and weaknesses of theories. It says: "All scientific theories are flawed; when we find the flaw, we replace the theory with a more subtly-flawed one."
Having said all the above, half in jest, theories are a crucial tool in exploring and understanding the universe around us. Without theories as the conceptual structure into which we plug our observations, measurements, and insights, we'd have no way to build on existing knowledge. We'd just be collecting jumbles of data.
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
No theory is ever provable. You can only dis-prove a theory if you find a prediction it makes which is shown to be untrue. A theory may be supported by math and/or logic, in the sense that if it is mathematically and/or logically not self-consistent, that disproves it without the need for experimental data.
Should a theory be provable by logic and mathematics?
Do you agree with me that a theory is a description?
The purpose of a theory is to describe how something works or happens. A theory is used to make predictions of what will happen and why.
A theory describes the contextual framework for the knowledge we've accumulated on the topic it covers. In that sense, it is a description. However, it is more than simply a description, as it has to accommodate all existing relevant knowledge, make predictions for things not yet known, and preferably do so with as few assumptions as possible. Thus, it is not simply a description, but one that exhibits a specific set of characteristics.
There is no such thing as an absolute and complete theory in science. Science deals only with falsifiable statements. That is, we can prove statements false, but we can never prove them right.
The fact that a theory can grow is what gives it strength. If theories were static and never questioned, they would be useless. Better to be incomplete and correct about what you cover than complete and wrong a portion of the time.
Evolution is not a complete theory, but what it covers is correct.
Evolution is an incomplete theory.
The theory of Gravity is not an absolute and complete theory.
The theory of relativity breaks down at the point of the big bang.
Faith in a theory is often mistaken as an absolute law.
Theories are contextual frameworks for making predictions. Theories have boundaries for which they can accurately predict.
Evolution fails to predict the direction of complexity. Evolution may explain how species are differentiating but it can not predict what the species will become.