[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by MartinSE

First, theories are demonstratable, hypotheses are ideas.

In science theories are always challenged, seldom does a theory gets thrown out, it gets modified as new evidence shows flaws, which results in an improved theory.

Everyone should rethink their beliefs periodically. We are all prone to believing things we think are true. Scientists on the other hand have a method of updating hypotheses and theories, it's called the Scientific Method. It does not rely on beliefs, or what the janitor's cousin says.

The scientific method has improved a little bit since planets were thought to orbit the earth. And there was a bit of "religion" involved in that also, which is one reason it is so important to separate religion (faith-based beliefs) from science (fact/theory-based beliefs)

And there are "Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics"...