Thread: title for this part is not correct

does the scientific method says that you will do 3 things. create a hypothesis. see if hypothesis explains current evidence or find evidence that supports the hypothesis. make predictions that can be tested. then if the hypothesis stannds the rigorous testing of yourself and fellow scientists then the hypothesis can be elevate to 'theory'. it is not possible to have a personal 'theory' in the scientific sence. unless this forum is using 'theory' in the common sence usage. the title for this part should state 'hypothesis' or maybe 'conjecture' is more correct.

True but calling it the "utter bullshit" forum, although more accurate may lower the tone

i do see many strange ideas in this section. many seems wrong for a science site.

Yeah, the mods often move posts here that are nonsense but not quite bad enough for pseudoscience (or Trash).

my friends who have more education than me always laugh about people saying 'it is only a theory' when these people are talking against the theory of evolution or the theory of relativity. people who say this have no science in their education

Yeah, it's a bit of a pet hate of mine, but it REALLY winds up the duck (dywyddyr)

Originally Posted by Chucknorium

does the scientific method says that you will do 3 things. create a hypothesis. see if hypothesis explains current evidence or find evidence that supports the hypothesis. make predictions that can be tested. then if the hypothesis stannds the rigorous testing of yourself and fellow scientists then the hypothesis can be elevate to 'theory'. it is not possible to have a personal 'theory' in the scientific sence. unless this forum is using 'theory' in the common sence usage. the title for this part should state 'hypothesis' or maybe 'conjecture' is more correct.

You are correct, but the use of the term "theory" in the title of this thread is the common sense one. We could have just called the section "Alternative Ideas" - in any case, I think most people will understand what is implied.

Seeing as a significant number of people whose posts go into that section actually say, explicitly, "my personal theory" on this ... it seems appropriate.

The key point is that the title has the phrase Personal Theory, not the isolated word Theory. Since theories are not personal the adjectival modification with the word personal indicates that theory is being used in the colloquial, not the scientific sense.

Originally Posted by adelady

Seeing as a significant number of people whose posts go into that section actually say, explicitly, "my personal theory" on this ... it seems appropriate.

I agree. As for the rest - that is why we added "and Alternative Ideas" to it.

Originally Posted by John Galt

The key point is that the title has the phrase Personal Theory, not the isolated word Theory. Since theories are not personal the adjectival modification with the word personal indicates that theory is being used in the colloquial, not the scientific sense.

Er, okay. This reminds me of my teacher asking us to diagnose the metaphors in Jane Eyre when I was a freshman in high school. Whatever you say, teach.