In response to “Evolution: theory, not fact,” in Feb. 7 edition of Technician.

From Wikipedia, on theory: “The English word theory was derived from a technical term in Ancient Greek philosophy. The word theoria means ‘a looking at, viewing, beholding,’ and referring to contemplation or speculation, as opposed to action. Theory is especially often contrasted to ‘practice,’ from Greek praxis, a Greek term for ‘doing,’ which is opposed to theory because theory involved no doing apart from itself.

In modern contexts, while theories in the arts and philosophy may address ideas and empirical phenomena which are not easily measurable, in modern science the term theory, or scientific theory, is generally understood to refer to a proposed explanation of empirical phenomena, made in a way consistent with scientific method.

Such theories are preferably described in such a way any scientist in the field is in a position to understand and either provides empirical support, verify, or empirically contradict, falsify it. In this modern scientific context the distinction between theory and practice corresponds roughly to the distinction between theoretical science and technology or applied science.

From Dictionary.com, on theory: ”a coherent group of tested general propositions, commonly regarded as correct, that can be used as principles of explanation and prediction for a class of phenomena: Einstein’s theory of relativity. Synonyms: principle, law,doctrine.”

From Wikipedia, on fact: “A fact (derived from the Latin Factum) is something that has really occurred or is actually the case. The usual test for a statement of fact is verifiability, which is whether it can be shown to correspond to experience. Standard reference works are often used to check facts. Scientific facts are verified by repeatable experiments.”

From Dictionary.com, on fact: “something that actually exists; reality; truth: Your fears have no basis in fact.”

In short, facts are what are, theories are used to explain why things are the way they are. Scientific theories have been tested rigorously. The theory of natural selection has been tested many times. It has yet to be falsified. There is no debate between scientists on its veracity. The only people who seem to debate its veracity are ignorant, Dictionary.com: “lacking in knowledge or training,” creationists like yourself.

Jon Johnson

sophomore, English education