Quote:
Originally Posted by Yorick
synonyms hypothesis , theory , law mean a formula derived by inference from scientific data that explains a principle operating in nature.
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While a dictionary is all fine and dandy, if we are talking about the scientific world, we need philosophy of science to look at our definitions. For instance, the dictionary is plain wrong here. Hypotheses or theories are
never inferred from scientific data due to one simple reason: underdetermination.
Instead, we use the hypothetico-deductive method. We assume a
hypothesis or a group of them, look at their observable results and compare them to experiment. If there is enough corroboration as opposed to falsification (ignoring all issues with both terms), such a interconnected group of hypotheses is accepted and becomes a
theory. So while hypotheses and theories are connected, they are not the same thing, at least in scientific use. The common language does interchange these, hence the confusion about these terms from the common folk.
A
law is something different altogether. It is a singular statement, usually expressed in mathematical language, which proposes a connection (aka a formula) between certain variables in a
highly idealised situation.