Quote:
That's a
very common misunderstanding of how the word theory is used by scientists. It is different from the "slang" way it is used by many. Also when it is used like this way, it is intended to be a put-down or a dismissal without even looking into it. A red herring of sorts. Notice that nobody says "
Gravity is JUST a THEORY!". That would be silly, nobody disputes the "fact of gravity". Evolution is very very very well supported by tons of evidence across many fields- geology, chemistry, genetics, anatomy, biology, etc.
From:
http://pseudoastro.wordpress.com/2008/12/21/terminology-what-scientists-mean-by-fact-hypothesis-theory-and-law/
Theory in Science: A theory is really one of the pinnacles of science what nearly everyone strives to make out of their hypotheses. A hypothesis is elevated to a theory when it has withstood all attempts to falsify it. Experiment after experiment has shown it sufficient to explain all observations that it encompasses. In other words, a theory has never been shown to be false, despite usually hundreds if not thousands of separate attempts to break it. It explains the observations with one or more mechanisms and, because it provides that mechanism, it is considered to be above the level of a Law. Examples these days are the Theory of Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, the Germ Theory of Disease, and yes, the Theory of Evolution.
In other words Theory as used in proper science is an idea that has a LOT of support. NOT something that anybody pulled out of thin air at a moment's notice. It is something well thought out, worked on with all the evidence for it amassed.. THEN submitted to PEER REVIEW. And stood up to most criticisms & analyses.