When is it actually appropriate to say “Theoretically”?

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Terms like “theoretically” or “in theory” are over used, and often used inappropriately Most of the time, the term “hypothetically” is a more appropriate term for what they mean. For example, people say things like “I have a theory that…”, when it would be more appropriate to say “I have a hypothesis that…”

My question is, when is it *actually* appropriate to use a phrase like “in theory” or “theoretically”? Please give an example when you answer.

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Language is descriptive not prescriptive. There is a non scientific meaning that is totally appropriate to use. You use it when you are hypothesizing.

This obviously is different from the scientific meaning, of a body of research or work.

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