My dictionary lists separate and distinct meanings for theorem vs. theory (regardless of their similar Greek roots), as did all my engineering, physics, biology and logic classes. I checked to be sure that what I believed was still true. Generally, ALL theorems are either proven or assumed (if even by consensus) to be true. Though the word is used almost exclusively in mathematics, it is (rarely) used in other situations. Theory, on the other hand, when applied to a proposed idea (not a field of study, such as "Number Theory", or "Chaos Theory") assumes the preposition has been tested, but proof has not yet been provided. Further, simply calling an hypothesis a theory is (or at least it was) an invitation for other's to test or question the theory.
No one should use the words theory and theorem interchangably. FYI, this is not a debate about evolution for me. I could care less. This is a debate about language. Regards, Bob Blakely --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "A mother takes twenty years to make a man of her boy, and another woman makes a fool of him in twenty minutes." - Robert Frost ----- Original Message ----- From: "J. C. O'Connell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >I think you are misunderstanding the meaning of the word "theory". > "Theory" in the context of a theorem of proof can be FACTUAL, i.e. > not all types of theory are merely "theoretical". -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
