Fact, Theory, Hypothesis, Conjecture, Myth

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This brings us naturally to the Kansas School board which is considering whether to allow the concept of 'Intelligent Design' to be taught as an alternative to 'The Theory of Evolution' in science classes.

I could devote hours of research to this mouth-watering subject but for you I will cut through the guff: the Kansas School Board is considering a ludicrous idea in a serious manner, and we are mezmerized. That is the situation. It is all a misunderstanding based on the definition of 'theory.'

The ignorant masses (you) do not understand the definition of the word, 'theory.' You think that 'theory' means 'conjecture.' Actually, no. A Scientific Theory is a body of knowlege about a subject, which body of knowlege is constantly being refined by discovery based on research and experiment. Thus we have 'the theory of Plate Tectonics,' for example. Although we refer to 'plate techtonics' (sp?) as a 'theory' we really understand that it is a 'fact.' Plate Techtonics is a fact, but the body of knowlege itself is evolving constantly and we therefore refer to that body of knowlege as 'the theory of plate techtonics.'

It is the same with 'the theory of Evolution.' Evolution is a well established fact although the exact details are still evolving. We call the current state of knowlege about the fact of Evolution the 'theory of evolution.' Did you get that?

'Intelligent Design,' on the other hand is, a conjecture, an hypothesis based on myth. The myth, of course, is the myth of the creation proposed in the Very Old and Odius Testament book of Genesis.