Today, I’m presenting a new video that addresses a point of scientific confusion — most people get the meanings of the words theory, hypothesis, and law, as they’re used in the world of science, completely wrong. Stop that! You should know what these words mean and how to use them, and so I’m presenting this video as a public service . . .

In all seriousness, the word hypothesis comes from the Greek word for “to put under,” or “to suppose.” It means to put forth a possible explanation for an observed phenomenon. Most people erroneously use the word theory to mean hypothesis. “My theory, ah, is that dis guy ran around the corner and then stole the carton ‘a milk, officer!” Nope, that’s your hypothesis, pal.

When an enlightened suggestion like a hypothesis turns out to be correct, verified by many coincidental observations and experiments, it converts into a law. In science, a law is a statement, based on repeated experimental observations, that describes principles or actions. Scientific laws include Occam’s razor (known as the Law of parsimony), the law of the conservation of energy, and the second law of thermodynamics, which sees entropy increase over time.

When a law is applied in a broad and general way over a variety of phenomena, it transforms into a theory. A theory is not just an idea. That’s wrong. Derived from the Greek word theoria, meaning beholding and contemplating, in science, theory means a set of principles that explain and predict phenomena in nature.

They are comprehensive explanations of general application, and include the theory of gravitation, the general and special theories of relativity, and the theory of evolution. (And if anyone’s still having problems with the last one, ya gotta catch up folks — you’re resisting an idea that was brought forth in 1859 and has passed every scientific test since!)

So, anyway, check out the video and let me know what you think.