Theory

  • “a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena; “theories can incorporate facts and laws and tested hypotheses”; “true in fact and theory”
  • “a comprehensive explanation of a given set of data that has been repeatedly confirmed by observation and experimentation and has gained general acceptance within the scientific community but has not yet been decisively proven”
  • “an abstract formulation of the constant relations between entities… A theory may be true or false. A valid theory attempts to eliminate all contradictions in the application of cause and effect to a given specific situation or set of conditions. The aim of a theory is always success in action”

Practice

  • “translating an idea into action”
  • “a customary way of operation or behavior”

Theory vs. Practice

  • “the distance between theory and practice is always so much smaller in theory than in practice”
  • “in theory, there is no difference between theory and practice; In practice, there is”

ceo

Sources:
    Definitions – web searches on “Theory”, “Practice”, “Theory vs. Practice”