Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote:
> Warp wrote:
> > different, more unambiguous term for "scientific theory"? For example,
> > "scientific model", or simply "model".

> It used to be the "law of gravitation", so we already have a word that 
> scientists have seemed to become reluctant to use. "Newton's laws of motion" 
> and "natural laws" and "laws of physics" all seem to still like that term.

> I'm happy to call it the law of evolution. :-)

  I think "law" is a much stronger term than "model". If I understand
correctly, a "law" of physics consists of proven axioms which can be
assumed to be true and are not subject to any kind of change (unless
our very understanding of the universe changes radically).

  For example, conservation of angular momentum can be considered a law
of nature, but the "newtonian laws of gravity" is a misnomer which should
be better called "newtonian theory of gravitation" (or, as I am suggesting
here, "newtonian model of gravitation").

  I would call the theory of evolution a "law" because it's a model
constantly subject to change and fine-tuning.

-- 
                                                          - Warp

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