Nothing is a theory. A theory is an explanation of a set of facts and/or how those facts produce an observable phenomenon and likely contains within it a means to disprove its validity. To say something “is just a theory” would be similar to asserting your secret dessert is “a just recipe," a statement that is pure nonsense.
The Theory of Gravity, Music Theory, Theory of Mind, and Theory of Crime, are just a few theories that go right along side the Theory of Evolution, all of them offering explanations of the subject being studied--not something that eventually gets “upgraded” to a fact. Available facts gets used to build the theory, which changes as new or corrected facts get discovered.
If people misunderstand the scientific use of "theory" they don't understand that the best layman's equivalent is "explanation." When anyone hears someone use "theory" in the scientific sense, replacing it with "explanation" would be extremely helpful.
The Theory of Gravity, Music Theory, Theory of Mind, and Theory of Crime, are just a few theories that go right along side the Theory of Evolution, all of them offering explanations of the subject being studied--not something that eventually gets “upgraded” to a fact. Available facts gets used to build the theory, which changes as new or corrected facts get discovered.
If people misunderstand the scientific use of "theory" they don't understand that the best layman's equivalent is "explanation." When anyone hears someone use "theory" in the scientific sense, replacing it with "explanation" would be extremely helpful.
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