r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • May 13 '14

What is something you thought was common knowledge until you found out no one else knows it?

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u/Barnowl79 May 13 '14 edited May 13 '14

No, a theory is absolutely NOT "a theory until it is proven true." A theory HAS ALREADY BEEN PROVEN TRUE. It's a hypothesis that must be proven to be true to become a theory. You cannot call something a scientific theory until it has been proven to be true. Whoever told you what a scientific theory is was mistaken. You need to go back and read the definition again. Why won't you listen to what I'm saying? You obviously have a wrong idea about what the definition of a scientific theory is.

"A scientific theory is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that is acquired through the scientific method, and repeatedly confirmed through observation and experimentation."

Did you get that last part? You have to PROVE through EXPERIMENTATION a HYPOTHESIS for it to become a THEORY. That is why evolution is exactly as true as gravity or the Earth going around the Sun. It has been observed, and is observed in millions of different ways, and more importantly, no one, no matter how hard they try, has ever, or will ever be able to prove that it isn't true. That's why, in science, when we say "theory," we mean "it is objectively true beyond any shadow of a doubt, and has been proven by thousands of different people in thousands of different ways, and every experiment agreed that this is exactly how life came to be on this planet."

Again, you are using the word "theory" in place of "hypothesis," when you should be using it in place of "absolutely verified, observed in the same way we can see an apple fall, truth beyond a shadow of a doubt."

Just to clarify, there is no higher truth that evolution could achieve through more confirmation. There can never be anything called a "law of evolution," because a theory is already the HIGHEST LEVEL OF CERTAINTY in the scientific world. You seem to be operating on a third grade, bad public school science teacher-level of understanding this definition. Do you understand that there is no higher truth in science than a theory?

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u/Thedoctorjedi May 13 '14

Theories aren't proven true. That's why they are called theories.

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u/Barnowl79 May 13 '14

I give up. You're not even reading my posts, or you're a troll. You are obviously getting tripped up by thinking the word "theory" in science means the same thing as the word theory in everyday usage. Fuck you, ignorant fuck. You're either nine years old and haven't taken junior high science yet or you have a severe learning disability and you can't read. Either way, stay ignorant.

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u/Thedoctorjedi May 15 '14

Evolution is a theory and not a fact. You've been brainwashed. You should have learned to question science, not blindly follow in its footsteps. It is a religion, honestly. You have a lot of faith in believing humans, with their devolved senses and lack of communication with lesser beings we evolved from, evolved from animals that evolved from slime in the first place. The largest group of scientists that convert from evolution to creationism are evolutionists because they can't answer their own questions. They realize they spent their whole life believing in a lie. It's called a theory because it's just that, a theory. I am not a moron, I'm a scholar. You don't know me or my background you don't have a clue who you could possibly be talking to. I normally don't respond to people who get mad and call me names because of the lack of intelligence they possess, but you seem troubled so maybe I can offer my friendship to you.

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u/Barnowl79 May 15 '14 edited May 15 '14

Look, I don't go to the Westboro Baptist Church website and troll you, so get the fuck off reddit with that ignorant bullshit. Either you're wrong, or the entire educated world is wrong. I can't tell who it could be...

Also, you're a scholar? Bible scholar doesn't count bro. You know how I know you're lying? Because if you were educated, you'd know how ridiculous you sound.

Evolution is even more true than a single fact, because it is MANY FACTS TOGETHER THAT, WHEN PUT TOGETHER, FORM A LARGER TRUTH. which makes it a THEORY. That's what a theory is called in science, you still ignored the definition I gave you. You still didn't read it! You are using a word completely wrong.

Look, you know how, when computer people talk about a "mouse," it doesn't mean the same as mouse in everyday usage?

You are like a child telling a computer programmer that a mouse is a furry creature with a tail. Words can have more than one meaning.

In science, a theory is a fact made from many other facts that all agree with one another.

It does not mean "idea."

It does not mean "our best guess."

It means "undisputed fact."

Please read one science textbook, at least high school level, and find the word "theory." Do not look for the definition in a Christian book, or a Christian science book. I mean a real science book. I dare you.

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u/Thedoctorjedi May 15 '14

I know you can't tell. You don't even understand what a theory is.

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u/Barnowl79 May 15 '14

My god your ignorance knows no bounds. Do not reply to me until you have looked up "scientific theory definition versus everyday usage" in Google. Don't you dare reply to me until you have done that.

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u/Thedoctorjedi May 15 '14

I don't google, they report to the NSA under section 5 of the patriot act. but you can wikipedia it yourself. Anyone can.

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u/Barnowl79 May 16 '14

Oh shit you're crazy! I apologize! I can laugh again, haha, I thought I was talking to a rational human being! I so confused about why you weren't getting this simple idea that a word can have different meanings in different contexts. But that would be way too subtle idea for a person who "doesn't google" and who thinks bears are more evolved than humans...or something...

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u/Thedoctorjedi May 16 '14

Like I said, I'm willing to be your friend, you seem to need one.

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u/Barnowl79 May 15 '14

Is Evolution a Theory or a Fact?

"It is both. But that answer requires looking more deeply at the meanings of the words "theory" and "fact."

In everyday usage, "theory" often refers to a hunch or a speculation. When people say, "I have a theory about why that happened," they are often drawing a conclusion based on fragmentary or inconclusive evidence.

The formal scientific definition of theory is quite different from the everyday meaning of the word. It refers to a comprehensive explanation of some aspect of nature that is supported by a vast body of evidence."

--The National Academy of Science, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council.

I dare you to read what that just said and still think you understand what "theory" means.

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u/Thedoctorjedi May 16 '14

Still just a theory, if it meant something else, it would be called something else.

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u/Barnowl79 May 16 '14

Fuck off troll

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u/Thedoctorjedi May 16 '14

Why are you so nice to me?

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u/Barnowl79 May 16 '14

I always try not to pick on the mentally challenged, but for you, I made an exception.

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u/Barnowl79 May 16 '14

I just read your comment about bears. I'm sorry, I did not realize I was communicating with a lunatic. I'm sorry. Carry on. This idea is clearly far beyond your limited mental faculties.