I recently read this and I thought it helpful in explaining the difference between a theory in general and a theory in science. It also speaks to the danger of teaching creationist views in school or even merely not teaching the reality of science and evolution. In my own view, with the very real danger of climate change, we cannot afford the cost of retarding society the way we are by teaching lies or ignoring reality.
In science, something can be both theory and fact. We know the existence of pathogens is a fact; germ theory provides testable explanations concerning the nature of disease. We know the existence of cells is a fact and that cell theory provides testable explanations of how cells function. Similarly, we know evolution is a fact and that evolutionary theories explain biological patterns and mechanisms. The late Stephen Jay Gould said it best: “Evolution is a theory. It is also a fact. And facts and theories are different things, not rungs in a hierarchy of increasing certainty. Facts are the world’s data. Theories are structures of ideas that explain and interpret facts.”
Theory is the most powerful and important tool science has, but nonscientists have perverted and diluted the word to mean a hunch, notion, or idea. Thus, all too many people interpret the phrase evolutionary theory to mean evolutionary hunch. Not surprisingly, I spend the first week of class differentiating theory from fact, as well as defining other critical terms.
Taken from:
http://tinyurl.com/ojfdqz3