Teorija

Teorija is a coherent and comprehensive explanation of some aspect of the natural or social world that integrates many observed phenomena and provides a framework for predicting new results. In science, a theory is a well-substantiated explanation that may incorporate laws, hypotheses, and tested predictions. Theories unify diverse observations under common principles, explain underlying causes, and offer predictive power for unseen situations. They are developed through careful observation, experimentation, and logical reasoning, and they must be falsifiable and open to revision in light of new evidence.

Theories differ from hypotheses, which are tentative explanations awaiting testing, and from laws, which describe consistent relationships in nature without necessarily offering causal explanations. Models and theoretical frameworks are tools within theories that simplify and represent complex systems for analysis and calculation.

Etymology-wise, the word theory originates from Greek theoria, meaning contemplation or viewing, via the verb theorein, to look at. In everyday language, a theory may be mistaken for a guess, but in scientific usage it denotes a robust, tested explanation supported by evidence.

Examples of theories include the theory of evolution, germ theory of disease, quantum theory, and the theory of relativity. Theories also appear across disciplines such as economics and sociology, where they provide interpretive lenses for understanding patterns, behaviors, and structures. The strength of a theory lies in its explanatory scope, predictive success, coherence with existing knowledge, and adaptability in light of new data.