'Theories' definitions:
Definition of 'Theories'
From: GCIDE
- Theory \The"o*ry\, n.; pl. Theories. [F. th['e]orie, L. theoria, Gr. ? a beholding, spectacle, contemplation, speculation, fr. ? a spectator, ? to see, view. See Theater.]
- 1. A doctrine, or scheme of things, which terminates in speculation or contemplation, without a view to practice; hypothesis; speculation. [1913 Webster]
- Note: "This word is employed by English writers in a very loose and improper sense. It is with them usually convertible into hypothesis, and hypothesis is commonly used as another term for conjecture. The terms theory and theoretical are properly used in opposition to the terms practice and practical. In this sense, they were exclusively employed by the ancients; and in this sense, they are almost exclusively employed by the Continental philosophers." --Sir W. Hamilton. [1913 Webster]
- 2. An exposition of the general or abstract principles of any science; as, the theory of music. [1913 Webster]
- 3. The science, as distinguished from the art; as, the theory and practice of medicine. [1913 Webster]
- 4. The philosophical explanation of phenomena, either physical or moral; as, Lavoisier's theory of combustion; Adam Smith's theory of moral sentiments. [1913 Webster]
- Atomic theory, Binary theory, etc. See under Atomic, Binary, etc. [1913 Webster]
- Syn: Hypothesis, speculation.
- Usage: Theory, Hypothesis. A theory is a scheme of the relations subsisting between the parts of a systematic whole; an hypothesis is a tentative conjecture respecting a cause of phenomena. [1913 Webster] Theosoph
Words containing 'Theories'
- Theory,
- in theory,
- Atomic theory,
- Binary theory,
- Cell theory,
- Cellular theory,
- Control theory,
- Corpuscular theory,
- Development theory,
- Dingdong theory,
- Domino theory,
- Dualistic theory,
- Emission theory,
- Germ theory,
- Glacial theory,
- Glacier theory,
- Neptunian theory,
- Plutonic theory,
- Sthenic theory,
- Theory of chances,
- Theory of equations,
- Undulatory theory,
- Unitary theory,
- Vortex theory,
- Wave theory,
- association theory,
- atomist theory,
- atomistic theory,
- bohr theory,
- communication theory,
- economic theory,
- field theory,
- galois theory,
- game theory,
- gravitational theory,
- group theory,
- holistic theory,
- information theory,
- kinetic theory,
- malthusian theory,
- philosophical theory,
- political theory,
- probability theory,
- quantum theory,
- relativity theory,
- scientific theory,
- set theory,
- string theory,
- superstring theory,
- theory of dissociation,
- theory of evolution,
- theory of games,
- theory of gravitation,
- theory of gravity,
- theory of indicators,
- theory of inheritance,
- theory of preformation,
- theory of probability,
- theory of relativity,
- transmission theory,
- Dynamical theory of heat,
- Fermentation theory of disease,
- Newtonian theory of light,
- arrhenius theory of dissociation,
- big bang theory,
- continuous creation theory,
- corpuscular theory of light,
- einstein's theory of relativity,
- general relativity theory,
- general theory of relativity,
- grand unification theory,
- grand unified theory,
- kinetic theory of gases,
- kinetic theory of heat,
- m-theory,
- newton's theory of gravitation,
- ostwald's theory of indicators,
- plate tectonic theory,
- quantum field theory,
- special relativity theory,
- special theory of relativity,
- steady state theory,
- theory of electrolytic dissociation,
- theory of organic evolution,
- theory of punctuated equilibrium,
- theory-based,
- wave theory of light,
- Side-chain theory,
- Wave-line theory,
- big-bang theory,
- einstein's general theory of relativity,
- einstein's special theory of relativity,
- Electro-magnetic theory of light