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THEORIES
AND
EXPLANATIONS:
Do theories explain anything
in clinical medicine?
NDCL
S
St John’s College Oxford
Formal Hall and
scruffy students
St John’s College
Oxford
Research Centre
But to return to
the theme
on “Theories
and
explanations
in various
disciplines-
But first…
What is a theory?
The noun
"theory"
has 3 senses
in WordNet.
(web dictionary for those too lazy to
visit the library!)
1. theory -- (a well-substantiated
explanation of some aspect of the
natural world; an organized system of
accepted knowledge that applies in a
variety of circumstances to explain a
specific set of phenomena; "theories
can incorporate facts and laws and
tested hypotheses"; "true in fact and
theory")
2. theory -- hypothesis, possibility, (a
tentative theory about the natural
world; a concept that is not yet verified
but that if true would explain certain
facts or phenomena; "a scientific
hypothesis that survives experimental
testing becomes a scientific theory";
"he proposed a fresh theory of alkalis
that later was accepted in chemical
practices")
3. theory -- (a belief that can guide
behavior; "the architect has a theory
that more is less"; "they killed him
on the theory that dead men tell no
tales")
In summary
•An explanation
•A possibility
or
•a belief
"When I use a word," Humpty-Dumpty said, in
rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I
choose it to mean -- neither more nor less."
1874-1912
1920's Andre Gratia and Sara
Dath (Brussels)
fungal contamination in one of
their Staphylococcus aureus
cultures was inhibiting the growth
of the bacterium.
"yellow magic"
or was it a case of
experimental preparation
careful observation
hard work
and luck?
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