Scientific Theory - Essay Example

In his book, “Evolution: The Remarkable History of a Scientific Theory” Larson argues that a scientific theory is a hypothesis supported with valid testing that gives enough evidence of a phenomenon. It is based on continuously confirmed tests and observations. Scientists formulate scientific theories from arguments and assumptions that are accurately tested through scientific methods that comprise enough evidence that proves the test's applicability. Scientific theories are inductive in the sense that, they do not only make invalid propositions but aim at giving predictive arguments. Scientific theories are an accurate, comprehensive, and reliable aspect of scientific knowledge, which is different from the theory definition that explains its common usage of something that is exploratory or unproven.  

   When there is evidence to support the hypothesis, the testing changes its name to a theory, which becomes a convincing justification of the phenomena. As mentioned earlier, when a theory is used from a non-scientific perspective it refers to something, which is speculative or unproven. However, when used in the scientific context, it refers to a model based on experimentation, reasoning, and observation, and one that is confirmed and tested as a principle that clarifies and forecasts natural phenomena. 

   Typically, a scientific theory should base its concept on a rational and careful examination of facts that can be measured and observed for evidence purposes. This is because although scientists may have a different analysis of the experiment's observations and outcomes, the facts of the scientific method cannot change. For a theory to be a scientific theory, it should be tested regularly by different scientists in different places and should pass the test when tested. Still, it should fit in other scientific theories of different branches such as chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy, and geology among others. In this case, a scientific theory in one of the mentioned branches should hold the truth in other branches of science. For instance, the atomic theory of matter was discovered in physics. However, it was later applied in other branches of sciences such as chemistry through chemicals used, biology on the living tissue, rocks learned in geology, and planets studied in astronomy. With this in mind, it stands out that the atomic theory of matter holds true in all branches of science.

  The following are lists of major scientific theories with no invalidity when tested. These are the atomic theory of matter, cell theory, evolution theory, and galactic theory of astronomy. These are scientific theories as they have facts that support the validity of their phenomena.

   Following this, evolution fits the definition of a scientific theory in that it is a theory repeatedly tested by researchers and affirmed by strong evidence. At this point, evolution is a theory that has been rigorously tested and affirmed by overwhelming evidence and thus can be used to clarify the natural phenomenon. Still, biologists affirm that evolution is a fact that is in similar way to gravity. This is because evolution mechanisms are less understood and these mechanisms are explored by several theories of evolution. With this regard, evolution may be a fact as it is interpreted in various ways by different people but does not change the assumption.