Does a theory have to be correct?

Does a theory have to be correct?

A theory not only explains known facts; it also allows scientists to make predictions of what they should observe if a theory is true. Scientific theories are testable. New evidence should be compatible with a theory. If it isn’t, the theory is refined or rejected.

Can all theories be disproven?

Theories can be “disproven” too, if a phenomenon does not fit the explanation put forth by the theory. Disproven theories can still be useful too, but not nearly so much as disproven laws which are “rules” or “equations.”

Can a scientific theory ever be disproven?

A basic principle in science is that any law, theory, or otherwise can be disproven if new facts or evidence are presented. If it cannot be somehow disproven by an experiment, then it is not scientific. Take, for example, the Universal Law of Gravitation.

Can a theory be accurate without being accurate?

Consider that a theory can be accurate without being very useful. To say that expressive writing helps people “deal with their emotions” might be accurate as far as it goes, but it seems too vague to be of much use. Consider also that a theory can be useful without being entirely accurate.

Can a theory be accepted if it has problems?

A well-supported theory may be accepted by scientists, even if the theory has some problems. In fact, few theories fit our observations of the world perfectly. There is usually some anomalous observation that doesn’t seem to fit with our current understanding.

Why do we discard old scientific theories?

When a better theory comes a long, or when an old theory is proven false, we discard the old theory. A good scientific theory can output empirically confirmable truths, and can thus be considered true, even when aspects of the theory can’t be proven true or false with 100\% certainty.

What happens to old theories when new ones are proposed?

And eventually that does happen: a new or modified theory is proposed that explains everything that the old theory explained plus other observations that didn’t quite fit with the old theory.