THEORY vs. BELIEF vs. OPINION

Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

I am so tired of people saying to me, about Evolution, "It's just a theory," as if being "just" a theory suggests that it is little more than an opinion or a belief.  These are different words, with different meanings--or at least they once held very different meanings.  I blame a general mis-use (or lack of use) of a quality dictionary (or of any dictionary whatsoever). 

So, let's review some terms.  Belief is an opinion or conviction about something, a confidence that something is true (regardless of evidence or lack thereof).  Opinion is a belief or judgment made with limited or insufficient evidence, a personal perspective. It is possible to have a very strong opinion--one that is passionately supported.  It is also possible to have a very reasonable opinon--one that is supported by logic and a limited number of facts.  Theory has a much broader set of meanings, ranging from conjecture and speculation to a coherent, logical group of principals based upon facts.  There lies the problem: theory means everything from a belief to an opinion to a factually supported analysis.  In the science world, theory is a technical term used for verified or established explanations for phenomena, based upon facts and logic.   Thus the English language seems to have evolved with the merging of meanings: theory = opinion = belief.  This apparent merging only proves to me that not all evolution is either positive or constructive. 

From "Evident Creation: The Evolution Myth"

What is worse: there is an irrational campaign that works upon the logical fallacy that Darwin's SCIENTIFIC Theory of Evolution is little more than some sort of belief system.  This suggests to me that there is a fundamental misunderstanding of the differences between science and religion.  I'm sorry, but, no: physics is not a religion.  There is a real danger here.  Suppose, for example, that your doctor believes that all men should have estrogen pumped into them to help reduce violent, aggressive tendencies?  Where are the fact-based studies to support this "theory"? For a more realistic (historically accurate) example, suppose that your doctor believes the reason your menstruation has either stopped or become irregular is because you haven't had enough sex or are unmarried (see "Women and Medicine in the Middle Ages & Renaissance")?  Amusing in opinion but certainly not in theory!

What's my point?  Simply this:

There is nothing rational 

about the concept of believing

in Evolutionary Theory.
(No one is asking you to believe reality.)

Tim Minchin