The Law of Evolution (verse, science, disease)

[Sola'lor]

We call it the Theory of Evolution. We teach it to our kids in school. We use it to determine where we came from. We seem so certain it's true. So my question is:

When will it be formalized as the Law of Evolution?

The Laws of Physics were all theories before we formalized them into laws. So if we are so sure of the theory of Evolution why don't our scientists formalize it as a law?

[logician]

Not to beat a dead horse, but evolution is just a much a hard science as physics, each has its own theories, that have been validated to date. "LAWS" of physics like the first law of thermodynamics can be used in any discipline to verify theories.

[Autodidact]

Originally Posted by Sola'lor

We call it the Theory of Evolution. We teach it to our kids in school. We use it to determine where we came from. We seem so certain it's true. So my question is:

When will it be formalized as the Law of Evolution?

The Laws of Physics were all theories before we formalized them into laws. So if we are so sure of the theory of Evolution why don't our scientists formalize it as a law?

No, Sola, that's now how it works. Science doesn't graduate from a theory to a law. It's like the germ theory of disease or the the theory of gravitation or the theory of relativity. In science, a theory is a complete explanation of a complex set of events or phenomena, including observations, explanations, and yes, laws. Because the theory of evolution explains so much of what we observe in the natural world, because all observed phenomena are consistent with it and none falsify it, we consider it to be well supported and will be accepted by that discipline. That's the status of evolution in Biology.

[Sola'lor]

Science doesn't graduate from theory to law? Hmmm. I thought a law was more confirmed and established than a theory. I remember learning that clear back in my high school biology class.

So your saying a theory is completly different than a law. A law is a more basic principle and theories apply those laws to explain themselves.

[Autodidact]

Lay people often misinterpret the language used by scientists. And for that reason, they sometimes draw the wrong conclusions as to what the scientific terms mean.
Three such terms that are often used interchangeably are "scientific law," "hypothesis," and "theory."
In layman’s terms, if something is said to be “just a theory,” it usually means that it is a mere guess, or is unproved. It might even lack credibility. But in scientific terms, a theory implies that something has been proven and is generally accepted as being true.
Here is what each of these terms means to a scientist:
Scientific Law: This is a statement of fact meant to explain, in concise terms, an action or set of actions. It is generally accepted to be true and univseral, and can sometimes be expressed in terms of a single mathematical equation. Scientific laws are similar to mathematical postulates. They don’t really need any complex external proofs; they are accepted at face value based upon the fact that they have always been observed to be true.
Specifically, scientific laws must be simple, true, universal, and absolute. They represent the cornerstone of scientific discovery, because if a law ever did not apply, then all science based upon that law would collapse.
Some scientific laws, or laws of nature, include the law of gravity, Newton's laws of motion, the laws of thermodynamics, Boyle's law of gases, the law of conservation of mass and [COLOR=blue ! important][COLOR=blue ! important]energy[/color][/color], and Hook’s law of elasticity.
Hypothesis: This is an educated guess based upon observation. It is a rational explanation of a single event or phenomenon based upon what is observed, but which has not been proved. Most hypotheses can be supported or refuted by experimentation or continued observation.
Theory: A theory is more like a scientific law than a hypothesis. A theory is an explanation of a set of related observations or events based upon proven hypotheses and verified multiple times by detached groups of researchers. One scientist cannot create a theory; he can only create a hypothesis.
In general, both a scientific theory and a scientific law are accepted to be true by the scientific community as a whole. Both are used to make predictions of events. Both are used to advance technology.
In fact, some laws, such as the law of gravity, can also be theories when taken more generally. The law of gravity is expressed as a single mathematical expression and is presumed to be true all over the universe and all through time. Without such an assumption, we can do no [COLOR=blue ! important][COLOR=blue ! important]science[/color][/color] based on [COLOR=blue ! important][COLOR=blue ! important]gravity's[/color][/color] effects. But from the law, we derived Einstein's General Theory of Relativity in which gravity plays a crucial role. The basic law is intact, but the theory expands it to include various and complex situations involving space and time.
The biggest difference between a law and a theory is that a theory is much more complex and dynamic. A law governs a single action, whereas a theory explains an entire group of related phenomena.

from here.

[Sola'lor]

Oh ok. I thought it was a progeression. Hypothesis was less than a Theory, a Theory was less than a Law. It progressed as each was proven. I guess I was wrong. Well, I learned something today.

[Autodidact]

Good for you, Sola, I love a person with an open mind. I can't remember, have we discussed evolution before? Do you feel like you have a good grasp of what the theory of evolution says? Are you familiar with the evidence, the reason that Biology has accepted it, and modern Biology is based on it?

[camanintx]

Wouldn't the Law of Evolution say that all biological organisms change over time while the Theory of Evolution explains how and why they change?

[Green Kepi]

Evolution. Doesn't fit the "mold" many have put it in when the English Version "In the beginning..." compared to the Hebrew wordage "In a beginning...". Think about it (?). There's a possible tremendous difference here! The beginning of this present earth's time or a beginning in a another or series of beginnings. Evolution of what?