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What are the purposes of theories in science?

b. What makes a theory a “good theory”?

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Answer:

Scientific theories are testable and make falsifiable predictions. They describe the causes of a particular natural phenomenon and are used to explain and predict aspects of the physical universe or specific areas of inquiry (for example, electricity, chemistry, and astronomy).

A good theory in the theoretical sense is (1) consistent with empirical observations; is (2) precise, (3) parsimonious, (4) explanatorily broad, and (5) falsifiable; and (6) promotes scientific progress (among others; Table 1.1).

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