Theory. NSTA_Science101theorylaw.pdf. Theories do NOT become laws. Michael Doyle’s post about evolution and students’ acceptance of evolution brings up another misconception about how science works.
Many (most) people believe science ideas progress through a hierarchy. They believe ideas begin as hypotheses, then with some evidence they become theories and finally, when the evidence becomes overwhelming, the idea becomes a law. Without any hesitation: this hierarchy is WRONG!!!! The difference between theories and laws has nothing to do with how much evidence supports each. Scientific theory. A scientific theory is a series of statements about the causal elements for observed phenomena.
A critical component of a scientific theory is that it provides explanations and predictions that can be tested. Usually, theories (in the scientific sense) are large bodies of work that are a composite of the products of many contributors over time and are substantiated by vast bodies of converging evidence. They unify and synchronize the scientific community's view and approach to a particular scientific field. For example, biology has the theory of evolution and cell theory, geology has plate tectonic theory and cosmology has the Big Bang. What is the difference between a theory and a law? I recently read a journal article* that spurred my curiosity.
The author stated, "Individuals often hold a simplistic, hierarchical view of the relationship between theories and laws whereby theories become laws depending on the availibility of supporting evidence. " He added, "theories and laws are different kinds of knowledge and one can not develop or be transformed into the other" and, "theories are as legitimate a product of science as laws.
" Throughout my years of undergraduate and graduate education, I have been taught this "hierarchical view" of theories and laws. As a former biology professor and current teacher of secondary education, I need to know, "What is the difference between a theory and a law? " and more importantly, CAN a theory eventually become a law based on supporting evidence?