Keith Mack
The question of whether theories or laws come first is a complex one, and understanding the relationship between the two is fundamental to comprehending the scientific method. Both theories and laws are essential tools used by scientists to describe and explain the natural world and the universe. While they are similar in character, they serve distinct purposes and have unique characteristics. So, which comes first?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | A theory is a model or a collection of similar models that explain a wide range of facts and are supported by evidence from many sources. A law is a specific statement based on empirical data, generally confined to a certain set of conditions. |
| Nature | Theories are broader in scope and give overarching explanations of how nature works and why it exhibits certain characteristics. Laws are descriptive accounts of how nature will behave under certain conditions. |
| Basis | Theories are formed from hypotheses, which are proposed explanations for natural phenomena. Laws are formed from rigorously tested hypotheses. |
| Falsifiability | Both theories and laws can be falsified by countervailing evidence. |
| Equation | Laws can often be reduced to a mathematical statement or equation, whereas theories cannot. |
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What You'll Learn
Scientific laws vs. scientific theories
Scientific laws and scientific theories are both produced from the scientific method through the formulation and testing of hypotheses. They are typically supported by observations and/or experimental evidence and can predict the behaviour of the natural world. However, there are some key differences between the two.
A scientific law is a descriptive account of how nature will behave under certain conditions. It is often reduced to a mathematical statement, such as E=mc^2, and its truth is generally confined to a certain set of conditions. For example, in the case of E=mc^2, the speed of light in a vacuum. A scientific law might explain the relationship between two specific forces or between two changing substances in a chemical reaction.
On the other hand, a scientific theory is broader in scope and gives overarching explanations of how nature works and why it exhibits certain characteristics. It often seeks to synthesise a body of evidence or observations of particular phenomena. It is generally a grander, testable statement about how nature operates. A theory may contain one or several laws. For example, Einstein's theory of general relativity contains Newton's law of universal gravitation.
It is important to note that the terms "scientific law" and "scientific theory" are not interchangeable. A theory will always remain a theory, and a law will always remain a law. Both theories and laws could be falsified by countervailing evidence. However, the accumulation of new or better evidence does not lead to a theory changing into a scientific law.
In summary, scientific laws describe what nature does under certain conditions, while scientific theories explain how nature works.
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The semantic view of theories
Bas van Fraassen, a key founder of the semantic view, critiques the syntactic view, arguing that it focuses attention on philosophically irrelevant technical questions. The semantic view has been extended to other domains, including population genetics.
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The theory of evolution
In science, the word "theory" indicates a high level of certainty. A theory is an idea about how something in nature works that has been rigorously tested through observations and experiments designed to prove the idea right or wrong. A theory will always remain a theory, and a law will always remain a law. Both theories and laws could be proven false by countervailing evidence, and a theory may be revised or new theories may emerge in light of new facts.
The idea that organisms evolve over time dates back to Anaximander of Miletus, a Greek philosopher who lived in the 500s B.C.E. Anaximander speculated that humans must have descended from some other type of creature whose young could survive without any help, and he concluded that those ancestors must be fish. While Anaximander was correct, his idea was not a scientific theory because it could not be tested. In the 19th century, Darwin and other biologists found compelling evidence for biological evolution in the comparative study of living organisms, their geographic distribution, and the fossil remains of extinct organisms.
Darwin and Wallace's theory of evolution was first set out in detail in Darwin's book, "On the Origin of Species." The theory was established as a scientific theory because it was supported by observable facts about living organisms. In the early 20th century, competing ideas of evolution were refuted, and evolution was combined with Mendelian inheritance and population genetics to give rise to modern evolutionary theory. Evolutionary biologists continue to study evolution by forming and testing hypotheses and constructing theories based on evidence from the field, laboratory, and data generated by mathematical and theoretical biology.
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Theories and laws as scientific fact
Theories and laws are integral to the scientific method, which involves formulating hypotheses and testing them to see if they stand up to the realities of the natural world. Both theories and laws are considered scientific facts, but they are not interchangeable. A scientific theory will always remain a theory, and a scientific law will always remain a law. Both can be potentially falsified by countervailing evidence.
A scientific theory is a rigorously tested, proven description of the natural world. It explains how nature behaves under specific conditions and is supported by evidence from many different sources. Theories are typically broader in scope and give overarching explanations of how nature works and why it exhibits certain characteristics. They are often grander, testable statements about how nature operates. For example, Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, often referred to as "survival of the fittest," explains how gradual changes in populations of organisms over time lead to the emergence of traits that allow those organisms to survive.
Scientific theories are not "just a theory" in the common vernacular sense of a "guess" or something uncertain. In science, a theory is a model or framework that is expected to explain a wide range of facts and make accurate predictions. The term "theory" in science refers to a rigorously tested explanation for phenomena. For instance, the special theory of relativity assumes an inertial frame of reference, and its predictions are accurate within that assumption's validity.
Scientific laws, on the other hand, are descriptive accounts of how nature will behave under certain conditions. They tend to be narrower in scope, focusing on specific relationships or situations. Laws are often expressed as mathematical statements or equations, such as Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation, which describes the attractive forces between all forms of matter. Laws can also be demonstrated through experiments, such as Hubble's law, which helped to quantify the movement of the universe's galaxies.
Both theories and laws are subject to revision or rejection when new evidence emerges. For example, certain accepted truths of Newtonian physics were partially disproven by Albert Einstein's theory of relativity, and the work of Louis Pasteur contradicted prior theories of animal disease. This constant evaluation and refinement of theories and laws are part of the iterative nature of science, where new evidence leads to a better understanding of the natural world.
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The progression from hypothesis to theory to law
A hypothesis is a tentative assumption or a proposed explanation for a natural phenomenon based on existing knowledge. It is a testable statement that has not yet been proven. Through experimentation and testing, a hypothesis can be proven and become a theory.
A theory is a well-supported explanation that has been rigorously tested and proven true. It is a model that seeks to provide a definitive explanation of some aspect of the natural world. Theories are supported by evidence from multiple sources and may contain or uphold one or several laws. They are broader in scope and give overarching explanations of how nature works and why it exhibits certain characteristics.
A scientific law is a descriptive account of how nature will behave under certain conditions. It is a specific statement based on empirical data and is generally expressed as a mathematical equation. Laws describe generalisated patterns in nature that are supported by scientific evidence and repeated experiments. They tend to be narrower in scope than theories and focus on the relationship between specific forces or substances.
For example, consider the hypothesis that plants grow taller when exposed to sunlight. Through experimentation, if it is found consistently that more sunlight leads to increased growth, this can evolve into a theory explaining photosynthesis. Eventually, a law could describe the rate of plant growth quantitatively under different light conditions.
It is important to note that both theories and laws are not immutable and can be falsified by countervailing evidence. New evidence may lead to the revision or rejection of a theory or law, and the formulation of new hypotheses and theories.
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Frequently asked questions
A hypothesis comes before a theory or a law. A hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a natural phenomenon. Once a hypothesis has been thoroughly tested and accepted, it becomes a theory. Theories and laws are similar in character but are not synonymous.
A scientific theory is a description of the natural world that scientists have proven through rigorous testing. Theories are supported by evidence from many different sources and may contain one or several laws.
A scientific law is a description of how nature will behave under certain conditions. It is typically reduced to a mathematical statement, such as E=mc^2.
Yes, both theories and laws can be disproven when new evidence emerges.
An example of a theory is Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection, which explains how gradual changes in populations of organisms over time lead to the emergence of traits that allow those organisms to survive. An example of a law is Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation, which describes the attractive forces between all forms of matter.
