PRINCIPLE: A generally accepted, verified, fundamental law of nature. Principles have been tested and verified through the scientific method. As a house is constructed from concrete, lumber, and nails, a theory is constructed from principles. To be a fundamental law of nature, a principle must capture a cause-and-effect relationship about the workings of the world. One example might be something like, "people seek the greatest benefit at the lowest cost." The scientific method is essentially the process of building theories by identifying and verifying these fundamental laws of nature. See also | law | scientific method | science | hypothesis | theory | verification | law of increasing opportunity cost | law of demand | law of supply | law of diminishing marginal utility | law of diminishing marginal returns |
