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<span style="font-size:20px;">orientation Geromics</span><br/> <br/>
== 2024.03.08 ==
'''What is theory?'''<br/> A '''theory''' is a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reason rational] type of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abstraction abstract thinking] about a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenomenon phenomenon], or the results of such thinking. The process of contemplative and rational thinking is often associated with such processes as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observational_study observational study] or research. Theories may be [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory scientific], belong to a non-scientific discipline, or no discipline at all. Depending on the context, a theory's assertions might, for example, include generalized explanations of how [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_(philosophy) nature] works. The word has its roots in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greek ancient Greek], but in modern use it has taken on several related meanings. In modern science, the term "theory" refers to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory scientific theories], a well-confirmed type of explanation of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature nature], made in a way [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consistency consistent] with the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method scientific method], and fulfilling the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory#Characteristics_of_theories criteria] required by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_science modern science]. Such theories are described in such a way that scientific tests should be able to provide [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empirical_evidence empirical] support for it, or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empirical_evidence empirical] contradiction ("[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falsifiability falsify]") of it. Scientific theories are the most reliable, rigorous, and comprehensive form of scientific knowledge,<sup id="cite_ref-1">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory#cite_note-1 [1]]</sup> in contrast to more common uses of the word "theory" that imply that something is unproven or speculative (which in formal terms is better characterized by the word ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypothesis hypothesis]'').<sup id="cite_ref-2">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory#cite_note-2 [2]]</sup> Scientific theories are distinguished from hypotheses, which are individual empirically [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testable testable] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conjecture conjectures], and from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_laws scientific laws], which are descriptive accounts of the way nature behaves under certain conditions. Theories guide the enterprise of finding facts rather than of reaching goals, and are neutral concerning alternatives among values.<sup id="cite_ref-3">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory#cite_note-3 [3]]</sup><sup>: 131 </sup> A theory can be a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_of_knowledge body of knowledge], which may or may not be associated with particular explanatory [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_model models]. To theorize is to develop this body of knowledge.<sup id="cite_ref-4">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory#cite_note-4 [4]]</sup><sup>: 46</sup> The word theory or "in theory" is sometimes used outside of science to refer to something which the speaker did not experience or test before.<sup id="cite_ref-5">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory#cite_note-5 [5]]</sup> In science, this same concept is referred to as a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypothesis hypothesis], and the word "hypothetically" is used both inside and outside of science. In its usage outside of science, the word "theory" is very often contrasted to "[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praxis_(process) practice]" (from Greek ''[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/praxis praxis]'', πρᾶξις) a Greek term for ''doing'', which is opposed to theory.<sup id="cite_ref-mediumthelaw_6-0">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory#cite_note-mediumthelaw-6 [6]]</sup> A "classical example" of the distinction between "theoretical" and "practical" uses the discipline of medicine: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_theory medical theory] involves trying to understand the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causality causes] and nature of health and sickness, while the practical side of medicine is trying to make people healthy. These two things are related but can be independent, because it is possible to research health and sickness without curing specific patients, and it is possible to cure a patient without knowing how the cure worked.<sup id="cite_ref-7">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory#cite_note-7 [a]]</sup><br/> <br/> full text link : [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory] <br/> <br/> <br/>
