reductionism - a theory that all complex systems can be completely understood in terms of their components

explanation - thought that makes something comprehensible

law of nature, law - a generalization that describes recurring facts or events in nature; "the laws of thermodynamics"

hypothesis, theory, possibility - a tentative theory about the natural world; a concept that is not yet verified but that if true would explain certain facts or phenomena; "a scientific hypothesis that survives experimental testing becomes a scientific theory"; "he proposed a fresh theory of alkalis that later was accepted in chemical practices"

blastogenesis - theory that inherited characteristics are transmitted by germ plasm

preformation, theory of preformation - a theory (popular in the 18th century and now discredited) that an individual develops by simple enlargement of a tiny fully formed organism (a homunculus) that exists in the germ cell

scientific theory - a theory that explains scientific observations; "scientific theories must be falsifiable"

field theory - (physics) a theory that explains a physical phenomenon in terms of a field and the manner in which it interacts with matter or with other fields

economic theory - (economics) a theory of commercial activities (such as the production and consumption of goods)

atomist theory, atomistic theory, atomic theory, atomism - (chemistry) any theory in which all matter is composed of tiny discrete finite indivisible indestructible particles; "the ancient Greek philosophers Democritus and Epicurus held atomic theories of the universe"

holism, holistic theory - the theory that the parts of any whole cannot exist and cannot be understood except in their relation to the whole; "holism holds that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts"; "holistic theory has been applied to ecology and language and mental states"

structural sociology, structuralism - a sociological theory based on the premise that society comes before individuals

structural anthropology, structuralism - an anthropological theory that there are unobservable social structures that generate observable social phenomena

concept, conception, construct - an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances

framework, model, theoretical account - a simplified description of a complex entity or process; "the computer program was based on a model of the circulatory and respiratory systems"

conjecture, speculation - a hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or conjecturing (usually with little hard evidence); "speculations about the outcome of the election"; "he dismissed it as mere conjecture"

supposal, supposition, assumption - a hypothesis that is taken for granted; "any society is built upon certain assumptions"

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"

belief - any cognitive content held as true

patchwork, hodgepodge, jumble - a theory or argument made up of miscellaneous or incongruous ideas