4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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. 
 
  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. 
 
  2.  An  exposition  of  the  general  or  abstract  principles  of  any 
  science;  as  the  theory  of  music. 
 
  3.  The  science,  as  distinguished  from  the  art;  as  the  theory 
  and  practice  of  medicine. 
 
  4.  The  philosophical  explanation  of  phenomena,  either 
  physical  or  moral;  as  Lavoisier's  theory  of  combustion; 
  Adam  Smith's  theory  of  moral  sentiments. 
 
  {Atomic  theory},  {Binary  theory},  etc  See  under  {Atomic}, 
  {Binary},  etc 
 
  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. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  theory 
  n  1:  an  organized  system  of  accepted  knowledge  that  applies  in  a 
  variety  of  circumstances  to  explain  a  specific  set  of 
  phenomena;  "true  in  fact  and  theory" 
  2:  a  concept  that  is  not  yet  verified  but  that  if  true  would 
  explain  certain  facts  or  phenomena;  "he  proposed  a  fresh 
  theory  of  alkalis  that  later  was  accepted  in  chemical 
  practices"  [syn:  {hypothesis},  {possibility}] 
  3:  a  belief  that  can  guide  behavior;  "the  architect  has  a 
  theory  that  more  is  less";  "they  killed  him  on  the  theory 
  that  dead  men  tell  no  tales" 
 
  From  Jargon  File  (4.2.3,  23  NOV  2000)  [jargon]: 
 
  theory  n.  The  consensus,  idea,  plan  story,  or  set  of  rules 
  that  is  currently  being  used  to  inform  a  behavior.  This  usage  is 
  a  generalization  and  (deliberate)  abuse  of  the  technical  meaning. 
  "What's  the  theory  on  fixing  this  TECO  loss?"  "What's  the  theory  on 
  dinner  tonight?"  ("Chinatown,  I  guess.")  "What's  the  current  theory 
  on  letting  lusers  on  during  the  day?"  "The  theory  behind  this  change 
  is  to  fix  the  following  well-known  screw...." 
 
 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  theory 
 
  The  consensus,  idea,  plan  story,  or  set  of  rules  that  is 
  currently  being  used  to  inform  a  behaviour.  This  usage  is  a 
  generalisation  and  (deliberate)  abuse  of  the  technical 
  meaning.  "What's  the  theory  on  fixing  this  TECO  loss?" 
  "What's  the  theory  on  dinner  tonight?"  ("Chinatown,  I 
  guess.")  "What's  the  current  theory  on  letting  lusers  on 
  during  the  day?"  "The  theory  behind  this  change  is  to  fix  the 
  following  well-known  screw...." 
 
  (1994-12-14) 
 
 

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