More Questions for Christians

[Cyberman]

Let me just clear this up for our dumb theist friend here.
A scientific theory is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world, based on a body of facts that have been repeatedly confirmed through observation and experiment. Such fact-supported theories are not "guesses" but reliable accounts of the real world.

I'm not sure where you get your definition of the word, "theory," from, certainly not the dictionary. "Theory" is defined as a hypothesis, speculation, assumption, premise, presumption, supposition, or guess; not any semblance of fact.

That definition comes almost straight from the National Centre for Science Education and is exactly what the word means to people who use it in their work:

Theory: In science, a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that can incorporate facts, laws, inferences, and tested hypotheses.

It is a scientific term ; thus when applied in a scientific context, the scientific definition takes priority.

[ThomM]

it seems to me people use the word theory like its some type of flimsy word. like i have this amazing theory that it rains cats and dogs, that wouldn't be a theory but more of a guess with no evidence that could be proven. a theory is facts, facts being cold hard estimated and calculated documented instances and compiled into a plausible theory that can be tested with accuracy.

Since we disagree on basics such as the definition of words, we have reached a point where further discussion is inhibited. Sorry.

OF course - since YOU intend to define a word slanted in a way that it is not meant to be in science - then YOU use that to RUN AND HIDE from the reality that YOUR claim has NO provable basis in reality - while scientific theories - which do have some basis in proof - which is why they have reached that stage - do.

Sorry - a "god" is simply a fictional character that HAS no proven basis in reality. THat is all you have

[Losty]

Noah's flood is simply a war story. It tells how he evaded the invading enemy army that swept through the area destroying and pillaging everything it encountered. The story uses number of war and peace words to show that it was just a war story.

So the part about the rainbow was a way to explain that they celebrated their victory with gay sex?

I wish I could have been there to see Noah's face when god told him his reward was a godly cock pounded in his ass...makes god seem a bit sexier to be honest.

[abaris]

I think this explains the difference between religious theory and scientific theory pretty nicely.

[Losty]

Yes but I think anyone would make that first face if god was having butt sex with them...

[Cyberman]

Adult comic Viz runs a regular feature called Up The Arse Corner. I think that first picture more than qualifies.

[Harry37]

I'm not sure where you get your definition of the word, "theory," from, certainly not the dictionary. "Theory" is defined as a hypothesis, speculation, assumption, premise, presumption, supposition, or guess; not any semblance of fact.

That definition comes almost straight from the National Centre for Science Education and is exactly what the word means to people who use it in their work:

Theory: In science, a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that can incorporate facts, laws, inferences, and tested hypotheses.

It is a scientific term ; thus when applied in a scientific context, the scientific definition takes priority.

Dear atheist acquaintance:

I appreciate the definition of "theory" that you provided from the National Centre for Science Education - whoever they are. The Centre's definition proves my point. Notice that it says the theory's "explanation" can include facts, laws, INFERENCES, etc. What is an inference? And the word, "CAN," demonstrates that the theory might have some facts in it, as well as other things including "inferences." Therefore, a theory isn't a 100%, absolute fact. Nice try, though.

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That definition comes almost straight from the National Centre for Science Education and is exactly what the word means to people who use it in their work:


It is a scientific term ; thus when applied in a scientific context, the scientific definition takes priority.

Dear atheist acquaintance:

I appreciate the definition of "theory" that you provided from the National Centre for Science Education - whoever they are. The Centre's definition proves my point. Notice that it says the theory's "explanation" can include facts, laws, INFERENCES, etc. What is an inference? And the word, "CAN," demonstrates that the theory might have some facts in it, as well as other things including "inferences." Therefore, a theory isn't a 100%, absolute fact. Nice try, though.

BTW, I found your "Centre." It's located here in the states, so you misspelled "Center." It also heads its website with the statement: "Defending the Teaching of Evolution and Climate Science." So much for its objectivity.

So long, "neighbour."

[abaris]

BTW, I found your "Centre." It's located here in the states, so you misspelled "Center." It also heads its website with the statement: "Defending the Teaching of Evolution and Climate Science." So much for its objectivity.

So long, "neighbour."

He didn't misspell centre. He's from the UK and that's the correct way to spell it there. Just one of the things you might want to educate yourself on.

[Cyberman]

Dear atheist acquaintance:

I appreciate the definition of "theory" that you provided from the National Centre for Science Education - whoever they are. The Centre's definition proves my point. Notice that it says the theory's "explanation" can include facts, laws, INFERENCES, etc. What is an inference? And the word, "CAN," demonstrates that the theory might have some facts in it, as well as other things including "inferences." Therefore, a theory isn't a 100%, absolute fact. Nice try, though.

No, a theory isn't a fact, because in scientific terms theories outrank facts. A fact, if you'd bothered to follow the link, is "an observation that has been repeatedly confirmed and for all practical purposes is accepted as “true.” ". Theories can include facts, laws, inferences etc but theories themselves are not any of those things. For example, gravity, evolution, plate tectonics are all facts - the theory of gravity, theory of evolution, theory of plate tectonics etc are models which explain how those facts operate and allow predictions based on that knowledge. There is no higher accolade in science.

To think of something as 'just' a theory is to call a world-class athlete as 'just' a gold medal winner, or a lifesaving drug treatment as 'just' a cure for cancer.

Nice try, thoiugh.

BTW, I found your "Centre." It's located here in the states, so you misspelled "Center."

That the best you got? So I'm English. Great, you caught me. And?

Grow up.

It also heads its website with the statement: "Defending the Teaching of Evolution and Climate Science." So much for its objectivity.

When did I say they were objective?

So long, "neighbour."

Cheerio, cuz.

[Harry37]

BTW, I found your "Centre." It's located here in the states, so you misspelled "Center." It also heads its website with the statement: "Defending the Teaching of Evolution and Climate Science." So much for its objectivity.

So long, "neighbour."

He didn't misspell centre. He's from the UK and that's the correct way to spell it there. Just one of the things you might want to educate yourself on.

I'm quite aware of how they spell it in the U.K. (which, btw, includes Canada, New Zealand and Australia). As with so many other things, you missed the point of the comment.