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D
onald French, president of the don’t always work in practice. Among ing why or how things happen. For
Society of College Science some scientists, theories are thought to example, “global warming” refers to
Teachers, points out in his lack solid basis in the facts (Morrison the observation that worldwide tem-
recent commentary on disclaimers in 2005, p. 39). peratures seem to be increasing. The
science textbooks that science is typi- Yet, the scientific definition of “theory of global warming” refers to
cally taught as a litany of terms and a theory is a logical self-consistent scientific work that attempts to explain
facts using textbooks that do not stress model or framework for describing how and why this could be happening
that the concepts presented in them are the behavior of a certain natural by measuring various factors such as
actually theories—the best current ex- phenomenon that is supported by increased CO2 emissions in the atmo-
planations supported by experimental considerable experimental evidence sphere, loss of rain forest productivy in
evidence that scientists have to offer (www.wikipedia.org). tropical ecosystems, and ice sedimen-
(2006). We teachers, therefore, have While most scientists try to rely tation in Antarctica and Greenland.
created a huge misconception for on the dictionary definition of a scien- “Skeletal muscle contraction” refers to
students and non-scientists who read tific theory, Thomas Lovejoy, environ- the observation that muscles shorten,
and use textbooks. They have come mental scientist, author, and president as seen using microscopy, when myo-
to believe that science is absolute and of the Heinz Center for Science, cytes or sarcomeres are stimulated. The
not open to challenge. Worse still for Economics and the Environment, “sliding filament theory of skeletal
the scientific community is the fact says that “theory is used in everyday muscle contraction” refers to the body
that, in common speech, theory has English to mean hypothesis whereas of scientific experimental evidence that
almost the opposite meaning from its in science it means something much explains how the proteins actin and
use in the sciences. This change can stronger and just shy of a law (e.g., myosin—with the aid of other proteins
be seen in modern dictionaries that Second Law of Thermodynamics). like troponin and tropomyosin, essen-
now define theory as a guess or hunch Theory in science means a constantly tial ions like Ca2+, and molecules like
in preference to the scientific defini- tested explanation of a broad variety ATP—in the sarcomere work to ‘slide’
tion. In everyday English, a theory is of facts and phenomena.” past one another to shorten the H-zone
a hunch that a detective comes up with Richard B. Alley, an eminent and I-bands. No hunches here, just
in a murder mystery. It is one of several scientist at Penn State University solid data from countless published
competing ideas, none of them proved. known for his work in global warm- scientific experiments that continue to
Fringe theories and conspiracy theories ing, states that “in contrast to most support the best explanation thus far.
are crazy ideas that are out of the main- dictionary definitions, I believe that These two theories have passed the
stream. New medicines or changes in theories necessarily involve narrative test of time, as have hundreds others
the tax laws may be good in theory, but as well as explanation and prediction. like chemiosmosis as the basis of ATP
So, you might define a theory as the synthesis, voltage-gated ion channels
overarching narrative or ‘world view’ as the basis of the propagation of an
Jacqueline McLaughlin (jshea@psu.edu) is
assistant professor of biology at the Pennsyl-
that encompasses and makes sense of action potential along the membrane
vania State University, Lehigh Valley. She is the observations and successful pre- of a neuron, and microtubule depoly-
also director of the professional development dictive tools in a field of study.” merization and protein motors at the
program CHANCE (https://royercenter.cwc. A theory is not a hunch; it is the kinetochores to move chromosomes
psu.edu/CHANCE). scientifically grounded way of explain- during anaphase.
SEPTEMBER 2006 61
A 21st Century
Science Lab... can lead us to new discoveries, like a
10th planet in the Kuiper Belt.
Wherever you need it I urge all of us to gently remind
ourselves and those we mentor that
In your science lab or outdoors— a hypothesis is never proven correct.
with or without a computer. And that no amount of experimental
testing or evidence can prove anything
in science. If a scientist’s results match
Unrivaled his/her prediction, then the hypothesis
is supported. This, like the disclaimer
Capability, in our textbooks, is a start.
Unrivaled Reference
French, D. 2006. Should we allow
Price. disclaimers in textbooks? Maybe
the right ones. Journal of College
4 Built-in Sensors
– Temperature (2)
Science Teaching 35 (5): 54–55.
Morrison, D. 2005. Only a theory?
Framing the evolution/creation
– Voltage
– Sound issue. Skeptical Inquirer 29 (6):
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