merryjig said:
true
but i think religion falls more on the side of theory than hypothesis, a hypothesis can't remain a hypothesis for so many thousands of years as some investigation must go into it. whilst a hypothesis is a suggestion, a theory is an unproven law. of course not all(if any at all) religions will be proven.
A theory is not an unproven law at all.
Theory
In the Science, a theory is a Model or framework describing the behaviour of a certain natural or social phenomenon. Theories are formulated, developed and evaluated according to the Scientific_method.
In Physics, the term theory generally is taken to mean a mathematical framework derived from a small set of basic principles capable of producing experimental predictions for a given category of physical systems. An example would be "electromagnetic theory", which is usually taken to be synonymous with Classical_electromagnetism, the specific results of which can be derived from Maxwell27s_equations.
The term theoretical may be used to to describe a certain result that has been predicted by theory but has not yet been observed. For example, until recently, Black_hole were considered theoretical. It is not uncommon in the history of physics for theory to produce such predictions that are later confirmed by experiment, but Failed_predictions do occur. Conversely, at any time in the study of Physics, there can also be confirmed experimental results which are not yet explained by theory.
(wikipedia)
Law
Several general properties of physical laws have been identified (see Davies (1992) and Feynman (1965) as noted, although each of the characterizations is not necessarily original to them). Physical laws are:
· true. By definition, there have never been repeatable contradicting observations.
· universal. They appear to apply everywhere in the universe. (Davies)
· simple. They are typically expressed in terms of a single mathematical equation. (Davies)
· absolute. Nothing in the universe appears to affect them. (Davies)
· eternal. Unchanged since first discovered (although they may have been shown to be approximations of more accurate lawssee Physical_law Laws_as_approximations below), they appear to be unchanged since the beginning of the universe. It is thus presumed that they will remain unchanged in the future. (Davies)
· omnipotent. Everything in the universe apparently must comply with them. (Davies)
· "omniscient" (loosely speaking). The behavior of everything in the universe is automatically and immediately "known" to the laws. (Davies)
· generally Conservation_lawof quantity. (Feynman)
· often examples of Symmetry. (Feynman)
· typically theoretically reversible in Time (if non-Quantum_mechanics), although Arrow_of_time. (Feynman)
Often, those who understand the mathematics and concepts well enough to understand the essence of the physical laws also feel that they possess an inherent intellectual Beauty. Many scientists state that they use their perception of this beauty as a guide in developing hypotheses, since there seems to be a connection between beauty and Truth.
Physical laws are distinguished from scientific Theory by their simplicity. Scientific theories have many of the same properties as laws, but are generally more complex than laws; they have many component parts, and are more likely to change as the body of available experimental data and analysis develops.
(wikipedia)
While we are on,
Hypothesis
A hypothesis (= assumption in ancient Greek_language) is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon.
In early usage, a hypothesis was a clever idea or convenient mathematical approach that would simplify calculation but did not necessarily have any reality at all. This is the sense in which Robert_Bellarmine used the word when he warned Galileo_Galilei away from treating the motion of the /Earth as a reality.
In common usage at present, a hypothesis is a provisional idea whose merit is to be evaluated. A hypothesis requires more work by the researcher in order to either confirm or disprove it. In the Hypothetico-deductive_method, a hypothesis should be Falsifiability, meaning that it is possible that it be shown to be false, usually by Observation. Note that if confirmed, the hypothesis is not necessarily proven, but remains provisional. See Statistical_hypothesis_testing. See also: Learning.
As an example, someone who enters a new country and observes only white sheep might form the hypothesis that all sheep in that country are white.
It can be considered a hypothesis, as it is falsifiable. It can be falsified by observing a single black sheep. Provided that the experimental uncertainties are small (for example that it is a sheep, instead of a goat) and that the experimenter has correctly interpreted the statement of the hypothesis (for example, does the meaning of "sheep" include rams?), the hypothesis is falsified.
· See Philosophiae_Naturalis_Principia_Mathematica for Newton's position on hypotheses, Gravity" "Newton.27s_reservations"" : "I feign no hypotheses" · "... a hypothesis is a statement whose truth is temporarily assumed, whose meaning is beyond all doubt. ..." -- Albert Einstein
(Wikipedia)
Ghost
