Tok Essay

Theory, Hypothesis

What are the Differences Between Theories and Myths as Forms of Explanation?

By: Christian Hellerup

Words: 1216

Which one do you think is most believable? The myth that our presents are delivered by Santa Claus, or the theory of evolution? You would probably think that the theory of evolution is the most believable because there is evidence to back it up and it sounds more realistic, while there is no evidence which tells us that Santa Claus delivers our presents and we know that we buy the presents. But how different and how similar are theories and myths as forms of explanation? Both of them are used to explain something, but they do it in each their own way. One is more entertaining and is like a story, while the other one is more factual and is like a report. A myth is more fiction while a theory is more non-fiction. First of all, what is a myth and what is a Theory? A myth is normally a story with a purpose which tries to explain why certain things exist. They are normally based on a tradition or legend and convey a truth to the people who read it and tell it, rather than actually recording a true event. A myth normally also expresses the ideology of a culture. An example of a myth is the loch ness monster. This is a myth because there is no evidence that it actually exists. A myth can also be created if someone wants attention. For example, the myth that Hitler’s Grandma was Jewish, was most likely created because someone wanted fame and attention. A theory is based on a hypothesis and is backed up by evidence. However, just because a theory is backed up by evidence, it doesn’t mean that it is true. It can still be wrong and it can have flaws in it too. An example of a theory, is the big bang theory. It explains how the universe arrived at its present state. This is a theory because it is based on a hypothesis that the universe must have been created by something, and it is backed up by evidence. The main difference between a myth and a theory...
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