01 n. A doctrine, or scheme of things, which terminates in speculation or contemplation, without a view to practice; hypothesis; speculation.
pl.
Theories ((#))
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1.
A doctrine, or scheme of things, which terminates in speculation or contemplation, without a view to practice; hypothesis; speculation.
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2.
An exposition of the general or abstract principles of any science; as, the theory of music.
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3.
The science, as distinguished from the art; as, the theory and practice of medicine.
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4.
The philosophical explanation of phenomena, either physical or moral; as, Lavoisier's theory of combustion; Adam Smith's theory of moral sentiments.
Syn.
Hypothesis, speculation.
-- Theory, Hypothesis. A theory is a scheme of the relations subsisting between the parts of a systematic whole; an hypothesis is a tentative conjecture respecting a cause of phenomena.