| 释义 |
▪ I. theory1|ˈθiːərɪ|
Also 7 -ie, -ee.
[ad. late L. theōria (Jerome in Ezech. xii. xl. 4), a. Gr. θεωρία a looking at, viewing, contemplation, speculation, theory, also a sight, a spectacle, abstr. n. f. θεωρός (:—*θεαορός) spectator, looker on, f. stem θεα- of θεᾶσθαι to look on, view, contemplate. In mod. use prob. from med.L. transl. of Aristotle. Cf. It. teoria (Florio 1598 theoría), F. théorie (15.. in Godef. Compl.).]
†1. A sight, a spectacle. Obs. rare.
1605Bp. Andrewes Serm., Passion (1631) 365 Saint Luke..calleth the Passion θεωρίαν a Theory or Sight... Of our blessed Saviour's whole life or death, there is no part but is a Theorie of it selfe, well worthie our looking on.
†2. Mental view, contemplation. Obs.
[1598–1611Florio, Theoría, contemplation, speculation, deepe study, insight or beholding.] 1611Cotgr., Theorie, theorie, contemplation, deepe studie; a sight, or beholding, speculation. 1643Sir T. Browne Relig. Med. i. §45 Nor can I thinke I have the true Theory of death when I contemplate a skull, or behold a Skeleton with those vulgar imaginations it casts upon us. 1646― Pseud. Ep. vii. xix. 385 As they encrease the hatred of vice in some, so doe they enlarge the theory of wickednesse in all. 1653W. Harvey Anat. Exercit. Pref. ⁋v, All their theory and contemplation (which they count Science) represents nothing but waking mens dreams, and sick mens phrensies. 1710Norris Chr. Prud. ii. 65 Speculative Knowledge contemplates Truth for itself, and accordingly stops and rests in the Contemplation of it, which is what we commonly call Theory.
3. A conception or mental scheme of something to be done, or of the method of doing it; a systematic statement of rules or principles to be followed.
1597Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. xxix. §8 If they had been themselves to execute their owne Theorie in this Church. 1643Bp. Hall Devout Soul i, It will hardly be believed, how far some of their contemplative men have gone in the theory hereof. 1674Dryden Prol. Univ. Oxford 11 Your theories are here to practice brought, As in mechanic operations wrought. 1798Malthus Popul. iii. ii. (1806) II. 103 A theory that will not admit of application cannot possibly be just. 1832Austin Jurispr. (1879) II. 1133 Theory of what is and theory of what ought to be are perpetually confounded. 1853Bright Sp. India 3 June (1876) 4 The theory of the old Government of India was one which could not be defended. 1879M. Pattison Milton xiii. 219 Even the calm and gentle author of the Christian Year..deliberately framed a theory of Poetic for the express purpose, as it would seem, of excluding the author of Paradise Lost from the first class of poets.
4. a. A scheme or system of ideas or statements held as an explanation or account of a group of facts or phenomena; a hypothesis that has been confirmed or established by observation or experiment, and is propounded or accepted as accounting for the known facts; a statement of what are held to be the general laws, principles, or causes of something known or observed.
1638Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 127 Or whether from subterranean fires,..I dare not conclude, but leave such theories to those that study Meteors. 1684Burnet (title) The Theory of the Earth. 1706Phillips (ed. Kersey), Theories of the Planets, certain Hypotheses, or Suppositions about the Motions of the Heavens, according to which, Astronomers explain..the Phænomena or Appearances of the Planets. 1727–41Chambers Cycl. s.v., We say..theory of the rainbow, of the microscope..the motion of the heart, the operation of purgatives, etc. 1812Playfair Nat. Phil. (1819) I. 3 A theory is often nothing else but a contrivance for comprehending a certain number of facts under one expression. 1850Grove Corr. Phys. Forces (ed. 2) 105 Were a theory open to no objection it would cease to be a theory, and would become a law. 1879M. Pattison Milton xiii. 180 The Copernican theory, which placed the sun in the centre of our system, was already the established belief of the few well-informed. 1890A. R. Wallace Darwinism 7 The truest and most complete theory would not enable us to solve all the difficult problems which the whole course of the development of life upon our globe presents to us.
b. That department of an art or technical subject which consists in the knowledge or statement of the facts on which it depends, or of its principles or methods, as distinguished from the practice of it.
1613R. Cawdrey Table Alph. (ed. 3), Theorie, the contemplation, or inward knowledge of any art. 1626Bacon Sylva §327 The means, hitherto propounded, to effect it, are in the practice, full of error and imposture, and in the theory, full of unsound imaginations. 1660R. Coke Power & Subj. Pref. 5 A Musitian, who Composes well, yet under⁓stands but little in the theory of Musick. 1795Hutton Math. Dict. s.v., To be learned in an art, &c., the Theory is sufficient; to be a master of it, both the Theory and practice are requisite. 1827Whately Logic (ed. 2) 205 Logic being concerned with the theory of Reasoning. 1828J. S. Mill in Westm. Rev. IX. 155 A prodigious step in the theory of naming. a1854― Early Draft Autobiogr. (1961) 135, I pushed on..to try whether I could do anything further to clear up the theory of Logic generally. 1884Grove Dict. Mus. IV. 101/1 Theory, a term often used..to express the knowledge of Harmony, Counter-point, Thorough⁓bass, etc., as distinguished from the art of playing, which is..called ‘Practice’. 1885Encycl. Brit. XVIII. 793/2 Epistemology (theory of knowledge, Erkenntnisstheorie). 1927B. Russell Outl. Philos. xxiii. 248 Descartes..inaugurated two movements, one in metaphysics, one in theory of knowledge. 1966R. M. Chisholm (title) Theory of Knowledge.
c. A systematic statement of the general principles or laws of some branch of mathematics; a set of theorems forming a connected system: as the theory of equations, theory of functions, theory of numbers, theory of probabilities.
1799W. Frend (title) The Principles of Algebra..; or the true Theory of Equations established by mathematical demonstration. 1806[see theorem 1 a]. 1811P. Barlow (title) An Elementary Investigation of the Theory of Numbers. 1838[see probability 3]. 1893Forsyth (title) Theory of Functions.
5. In the abstract (without article): Systematic conception or statement of the principles of something; abstract knowledge, or the formulation of it: often used as implying more or less unsupported hypothesis (cf. 6): distinguished from or opposed to practice (cf. 4 b). in theory (formerly in the theory): according to theory, theoretically (opp. to in practice or in fact).
1624T. Macarnesse in Capt. Smith Virginia Pref., That thou mightst read and know and safely see, What he by practice, thou by Theoree. 1692Sir W. Hope Fencing-Master (ed. 2) 164 Theorie without Practice will serve but for little. 1769–72Junius Lett. Pref. (1820) 17 Theory is at variance with practise. 1776J. Adams Wks. (1854) IX. 375 It is certain, in theory, that the only moral foundation of government is, the consent of the people. 1821J. Q. Adams in Davies Metr. Syst. iii. (1871) 175 A compromise between philosophical theory and inveterate popular habits.
6. In loose or general sense: A hypothesis proposed as an explanation; hence, a mere hypothesis, speculation, conjecture; an idea or set of ideas about something; an individual view or notion. Cf. 4.
1792Burke Corr. (1844) IV. 13 Whether I am right in the theory or not,..the fact is as I state it. 1794Paley Evid. (1825) II. 347 Theories which have, at different times, gained possession of the public mind. 1829Jas. Mill Hum. Mind (1869) II. xxv. 403 The word theory has been perverted to denote an operation..which..consists in supposing and setting down matters supposed as matters observed. Theory in fact has been confounded with Hypothesis. 1864Bowen Logic xi. (1870) 375 A Theory, sometimes incorrectly used as a synonyme for Hypothesis. 1867M. E. Herbert Cradle L. iii. 95 So varied are the theories as to the origin of these wonderful sepulchres. 1880T. A. Spalding Eliz. Demonol. 35 This was not a mere theory, but a vital active belief.
7. Comb., as theory-making adj. and n., theory-building, theory-monger, theory-spinning; theory-bigoted, theory-mad, theory-ridden adjs.; theory-blind a., (a) blinded by a theory, so as to be unable to see the facts truly; (b) blind to a theory, i.e. unable to see or apprehend it (cf. colour-blind); theory-laden a., applied to a term, statement, etc., the use of which implies the acceptance of some theory; contrasted with theory-free, theory-neutral adjs.; theory-man (nonce-wd.), a theorist; theory-tailor, contemptuously for a shaper of theories.
1884Q. Rev. Apr. 337 More *theory-bigoted than Mr. ―.
1892W. S. Lilly Gt. Enigma 230 You cannot help recognising, unless you are *theory-blind,..the law of correlation. 1902Q. Rev. Apr. 359 No one who is not theory-blind—a very common form of blindness.
1780Mirror No. 107 ⁋2 There is something..so delightful in this art of *theory⁓building. 1964Language XL. 225 Spelling out..how its results have been incorporated into other experiments and theory-building.
1977A. Giddens Stud. in Social & Polit. Theory i. 49 As Feigl says, most positivistically inclined authors today..recognize that observation statements cannot be entirely ‘*theory-free’.
1958N. R. Hanson Patterns of Discovery i. 19 There is a sense..in which seeing is a ‘*theory-laden’ undertaking. Observation of x is shaped by prior knowledge of x. 1977A. Giddens Stud. in Social & Polit. Theory 12 The theory-laden character of observation-statements in natural sciences entails that the meaning of scientific contexts is tied-in to the meaning of other terms in a theoretical network.
1850E. A. Poe in Sartain's Union Mag. Oct. 233/1 He must be *theory-mad beyond redemption who, in spite of these differences, shall still persist in attempting to reconcile the obstinate oils and waters of Poetry and Truth.
1931A. Huxley Music at Night 77 The *theory-making mind. 1964I. L. Horowitz New Sociology 31 Problems of this kind can be multiplied..in every sphere of sociology from poll-taking to theory-making.
1727De Foe Syst. Magic i. i. (1840) 9 What our learned *theory-men insist to have been the causes of the deluge.
1905Academy 4 Feb. 105/1 It is high time that protest be made..against the master's works being made the prey of *theorymongers.
1968J. J. C. Smart Betw. Sci. & Philos. iii. 80 Observation reports can not be couched in *theory-neutral language. 1977A. Giddens Stud. in Social & Polit. Theory iii. 150 The ‘orthodox view’ has an answer which Habermas has apparently (although..not finally) rejected: correspondence to sensorily apprehended reality, grounded in the descriptions of a theory-neutral observation language.
1922R. Fry Let. 6 Mar. (1972) II. 522, I don't take it to heart when you say that my pictures are the utterly dismal performances of a *theory-ridden painter.
1904Windle Prehist. Age Pref. 13 There has been a vast amount of *theory-spinning in connexion with the early epochs.
1876Meredith Beauch. Career xxxvii, These men are *theory-tailors not politicians.
▪ II. theory2 Gr. Antiq.|θiːˈɔərɪ|
[ad. Gr. θεωρία, the same word as in theory1, in a specialized sense.]
A body of theors sent by a state to perform some religious rite or duty; a solemn legation.
1842Smith's Dict. Grk. & Rom. Antiq. s.v. Salaminia, They conveyed theories, despatches, &c. from Athens. 1850Grote Greece ii. lv. VII. 72 Curiosity..to see what figure the Theôry of Athens would make as to show and splendour. 1853Ibid. ii. lxxxiii. XI. 38 He sent thither his Theôry, or solemn legation for sacrifice, decked in the richest garments. |