a theoretical statement

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a theoretical statement" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing concepts, hypotheses, or ideas that are based on theory rather than practical application. Example: "In our discussion, we will begin with a theoretical statement about the nature of gravity before moving on to empirical evidence."

✓ Grammatically correct

Encyclopedias

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

For it is difficult to say precisely what the distinction is between accepting the usefulness of a theoretical statement and actually believing it to be true.

Encyclopedia Britannica

His Unterweisung im Tonsatz (1937 39; The Craft of Musical Composition, 1941, rev. 1945) constitutes a theoretical statement of his principles.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Moreover, truth is also relative in this sense, in virtue of the close connection between truth and meaning: if the meaning of a theoretical statement is relative to a theory, paradigm, or conceptual scheme, then its truth value will be relative in the same way and to the same extent.

Encyclopedia Britannica

A theoretical statement of the combined risk of the 2 tumours occurring in the same individual of a general population was developed and was compared with the practical approach of summing the sequence analyses (complementary analysis).

British Journal of Cancer

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

As both a broad overview of earlier research and a systematic theoretical statement, Plant Succession defined a major area of research that became a central focus of plant ecology prior to World War II.

Encyclopedia Britannica

As a main theoretical statement, the relaxation gap (the ratio between upper and lower bounds) is derived, which validates the relaxation.

Automatica

"But that is an entirely theoretical statement with regard to the situation according to treaties".

The New York Times

Hernani followed Stendhal's call in the pamphlets Racine et Shakespeare (1823, 1825) for theatre that would appeal to a contemporary public and Hugo's own major theoretical statement, in the preface to his play Cromwell (1827; Eng. trans.

Encyclopedia Britannica

This is the so-called Neurath Principle: in the face of conflict between a protocol and theoretical statements, the cancellation of a protocol statement is a methodological possibility as well (Neurath 1932/1983, 95, Haller 1982).

SEP

In 1867 he had been one of the founders, with Mrs. P.A. Taylor, Emily Davies, and others, of the first women's suffrage society, which developed into the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies, and in 1869 he published The Subjection of Women (written 1861), the classical theoretical statement of the case for woman suffrage.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Since the publication of our last theoretical statement (Epstude & Roese, 2008), numerous lines of empirical evidence support, or are rendered more readily understandable, when glimpsed through the lens of the functional theory.

Advances in Experimental Social Psychology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a theoretical statement", ensure the context clearly indicates that you're discussing a concept, hypothesis, or idea based on theory rather than direct observation or empirical evidence.

Common error

Avoid presenting "a theoretical statement" as an established fact. Always acknowledge its theoretical nature, especially in contexts where empirical validation is lacking.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "a theoretical statement" is that of a noun phrase. It acts as a subject, object, or complement within a sentence. As Ludwig AI explains, the phrase is appropriate for discussing concepts or hypotheses.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

40%

Encyclopedias

30%

News & Media

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a theoretical statement" is a noun phrase used to introduce concepts, hypotheses, or ideas based on theoretical reasoning. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's grammatically correct and best suited for formal contexts like science, encyclopedias, and news media. While not very common, it effectively sets the stage for discussions involving theoretical frameworks. When using the phrase, be mindful to not confuse it with empirical facts. Consider alternatives such as "a hypothetical proposition" or "a conceptual assertion" to fine-tune the message.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a hypothetical proposition

Replaces 'statement' with 'proposition' emphasizing the hypothetical nature.

a conceptual assertion

Substitutes 'theoretical' with 'conceptual' focusing on the conceptual aspect of the assertion.

a speculative claim

Uses 'speculative' to highlight the uncertainty inherent in theoretical statements.

a reasoned argument

Emphasizes the logical and reasoned nature of the statement.

a formulated hypothesis

Replaces 'statement' with 'hypothesis' indicating a proposed explanation.

a proposed explanation

Focuses on the explanatory function of the theoretical statement.

a philosophical postulation

Highlights the philosophical underpinning of the statement.

a model-based prediction

Connects the statement to a specific model used for prediction.

a system of thought

Broadens the scope to encompass a larger, organized set of ideas.

a principle framework

Focuses on the statement as a foundational principle or structure.

FAQs

How can I use "a theoretical statement" in a sentence?

You can use "a theoretical statement" to introduce a concept or idea based on theory. For example, "The discussion began with "a theoretical statement" about the nature of dark matter."

What are some alternatives to "a theoretical statement"?

Alternatives include "a hypothetical proposition", "a conceptual assertion", or "a speculative claim", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "a theoretical statement" in formal writing?

Yes, "a theoretical statement" is appropriate for formal writing, particularly in academic, scientific, and philosophical contexts where theoretical frameworks are frequently discussed.

What distinguishes "a theoretical statement" from an empirical observation?

While "a theoretical statement" is based on reasoning and concepts, an empirical observation is derived from direct sensory experience or measurement. Theoretical statements often guide the design of experiments to test their validity.