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submitted 1 year ago by grte@lemmy.ca to c/canada@lemmy.ca
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[-] Gerbler@lemmy.ml 13 points 1 year ago

Pedocon theory is a theory like the theory of gravity is a theory.

[-] MapleEngineer@lemmy.ca 16 points 1 year ago

A theory is a well-substantiated explanation of an aspect of the natural world that can incorporate laws, hypotheses and facts.

[-] Rodeo@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 year ago

Well gravity isn't a theory at all, it's a law.

Perhaps you're getting gravity confused with evolution?

[-] MapleEngineer@lemmy.ca 15 points 1 year ago

A theory is a well-substantiated explanation of an aspect of the natural world that can incorporate laws, hypotheses and facts. The theory of gravitation, for instance, explains why apples fall from trees and astronauts float in space. Similarly, the theory of evolution explains why so many plants and animals—some very similar and some very different—exist on Earth now and in the past, as revealed by the fossil record.

[-] Rodeo@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago
[-] MapleEngineer@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

The Theory of Gravity is the well-substantiated explanation of gravity that incorporates laws, hypotheses, and facts.

I hope this helps.

[-] Rodeo@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 year ago

Please post a link from a reputable source explicitly citing gravity as a theory as opposed to a law.

The link I posted quite clearly states that universal gravitation is a scientific law.

Hope this helps.

[-] MapleEngineer@lemmy.ca 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

"The biggest difference between a law and a theory is that a theory is much more complex and dynamic. A law describes a single action, whereas a theory explains an entire group of related phenomena. And, whereas a law is a postulate that forms the foundation of the scientific method, a theory is the end result of that same process."

Here's a simple, easy to understand explanation of the difference between a law and a theory in science.

And here is an explanation of the difference between a theory in common use and in scientific use.

I hope these help.

[-] Rodeo@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 year ago

Those are great explanations of the differences between a law and theory.

However an astute reader would have noticed that's not actually the topic of discussion here. I shall posit my question again:

Can you show that gravity is a theory and not a law?

[-] MapleEngineer@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 year ago

I love the confidence with which you're wrong and it's clear that you're trying very hard to sound smart but while I can explain this to you, and have more than once, I can't understand it for you.

Have a nice day.

[-] Rodeo@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 year ago

You're avoiding the question yet again, and now you're resorting to sneering.

Pathetic.

[-] MapleEngineer@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Had you read, and more importantly understood, the two links I posted you could have answered your own question.

You asked whether gravity was a law or a theory.

Gravity is neither a law nor a theory. Gravity is a fundamental reaction that causes any object with mass to be attracted to any other object with mass.

The law of gravity is a formula used to predict the effect of gravity.

The theory of gravity is our collected knowledge on the subject of gravity and includes the law of gravity.

So, the law of gravity is one small element of the theory of gravity.

That is a complete and correct answer to your question.

Now, unless you have a clear understanding of the difference between the idea of a theory in common parlance and the idea of a theory in science and how a law in science relates to a theory in science (which you would have if you had read and understood the two links I provided) you're not going to understand this, despite my explaining it a third time, and you're going to continue to argue with me instead of saying, "Oh! I get it now. Yes, I was wrong. Sorry, and thanks for the explanation."

[-] Rodeo@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 year ago

Gravity is neither a law nor a theory. ....

The law of gravity is ....

The theory of gravity is ....

So, it's neither a law nor a theory, but also it's both at the same time.

This is getting a little ridiculous.

[-] MapleEngineer@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 year ago

I'm sorry you can't understand.

Have a nice day.

[-] Rodeo@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 year ago

I understand you're contradicting yourself.

[-] Wereduck 1 points 1 year ago

Gravity (phenomenon) is neither a theory nor law, in a similar way that a cat is different from a picture of a cat or a dictionary entry describing the word cat or our collective understand of what a cat is. At the same time, gravity is also BOTH a theory and a set of laws in the same sense that you could point to a picture of a cat and say "that's a cat right there", and no one would correct you. The distinction seems silly, but it is important. Theory, law, etc are structures/lenses through which we understand and predict things. A sort of formalized collective metacognition is the basis of science, and this is why we have these terms and distinctions. And theories and laws are fundementally different things in a way that's may be best expanded by critically reading the resources provided by the other commenter.

[-] Sentau@lemmy.one 1 points 1 year ago

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity

Look under history. The heading for a section is Newton's theory of gravitation.

[-] folkrav@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I'd say it's neither. Gravity is the observable phenomenon - something makes things fall. Newton's gravitation law and general relativity tried to explain what gravity is, but the phenomenon exists independently of the laws or theories around it.

this post was submitted on 16 Sep 2023
352 points (100.0% liked)

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