3- Theories

A theory is an analytic structure designed to explain a set of observations. A theory does two things:
- It identifies this set of distinct observations as a class of phenomena.
- It makes assertions about the underlying reality that brings about or affects this class.
The term is often used to refer to any explanatory thought, even fanciful or speculative ones, but in scholarly use it is reserved for ideas which meet baseline requirements about the kinds of observations made, the methods of classification used, and the consistency of the theory in its application among members of that class.
Theories are distinct from theorems that are derived deductively from theories according to a formal system of rules, generally as a first step in testing or applying the theory in a concrete situation. Theories are abstract and conceptual, and to this end they are never considered right or wrong. Instead, they are supported or challenged by observations in the world.