There is confusion between the scientific definition of theory and the colloquial definition. (Anyone who has debated a creationist can attest to this.) The latter is more akin to hypothesis or conjecture while a scientific theory (to me, at least) has three parts:

1.) Accounts for current observations.
2.) Can be used to make predictions.
3.) Is falsifiable.

This is pretty much what you said Simon, only a little more wordy.




<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Wiley on 2002-02-08 12:23 ]</font>