2. An exposition of the general or abstract principles of any science; as, the theory of music.
3. The science, as distinguished from the art; as, the theory and practice of medicine.
4. The philosophical explanation of phenomena, either physical or moral; as, Lavoisier's theory of combustion; Adam Smith's theory of moral sentiments. Atomic theory, Binary theory, etc. See under Atomic, Binary, etc.
Syn. — Hypothesis, speculation. — Theory, Hypothesis. A theory is a scheme of the relations subsisting between the parts of a systematic whole; an hypothesis is a tentative conjecture respecting a cause of phenomena.
THEOSOPH; THEOSOPHER
The"o*soph, The*os"o*pher, n.
Defn: A theosophist.
THEOSOPHIC; THEOSOPHICAL
The`o*soph"ic, The`o*soph"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. théosophique.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to theosophy.
— The`o*soph"ic*al*ly, adv.
THEOSOPHISM
The*os"o*phism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. théosophisme.]
Defn: Belief in theosophy. Murdock.