| Hypotheses,
Theories, Facts and Beliefs at Every Fork in the Road |
These are my working definitions of the concepts of hypothesis, theory, fact and
belief. They
may not be universally excepted in the exact wording I use here, but I think
they'll do just fine to convey the intent of the majority when using them.... or
at least, these will give you a good idea of what I mean when I use them here on
this site.
Hypothesis:
An untested (sometimes maybe even untestable) opinion based on observations of and/or speculations about Nature.
With regard to Nature and Science, a hypothesis is not completely baseless since
it is part of the Scientific Process. However, since it has not yet gone through
the rest of the stages, it can not yet be considered a theory.
Theory:
A tested (or at least testable) opinion based not only on observations of and/or speculations about Nature, but also on the factual findings of testing and experimentation.
It is not a fact since opinions are still involved. However, since those
opinions have been tested and do in fact seem to adequately explain something
which is observed in Nature, it is accepted as a theory.
Fact:
Something that is real and actual. Something which may or may not be universally known to be real and actual
or may not even have been discovered yet, but about which opinions are
irrelevant. Since being known about or believed in is not that which
makes something be real and actual, a fact would still be real and actual
without being universally known (or known at all for that matter) or accepted as
such. There can be opinions about facts (such as hypotheses, theories and
beliefs), but these opinions do not and can not and therefore should not ever be
considered as bringing about any kind of absolute certainty of fact in any
sense. Hypotheses, theories and beliefs are just what they are. They are
not facts. They are ideas about facts and/or ideas about that which we have no
facts about as of yet. We call them opinions because they are ideas which
we can not yet be certain of. Facts are those things which no one in their right
mind argues about anymore... such as Earth revolving around the Sun, Earth being
flat and approximately 4.6 billion years old.
Belief:
An untested (and in some cases untestable) opinion which may perhaps be based on
speculations about, but certainly not observations of or testing and
experimentation with Nature. No matter how hard it is believed in and no matter
how many people believe in it, such opinions can never even be legitimately
considered (by those doing Science anyway), let alone accepted, without testing
and experimentation. Furthermore, it will never become real and actual by the
power of the multitudes believing in it. It either is or is not real and actual
already. Our opinions about it will always remain naturally and scientifically
baseless unless and until we observe it and test it and experiment with, in, on,
around, or about it.
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