Can a theory be wrong and why?

Answer 1

The answer below is invalid. A theory has no bearing on right or wrong. Any assumption about conditions can be stated as a theory. A theory is simply a conjecture with organized relationships between the assumption and the subject. Furthermore, a law is not necessarily right. Uncertainty is an important part of the scientific process. Laws are called laws because they satisfy currently held views and data about their subject. Many laws have been "proven" wrong. Some of Newtons laws were overturned by Einstein. Immanuel Kant told us that right and wrong can not really be determined by recourse to observation. The basic way to determine right and wrong is by agreement with the definitions being used. Right can be simple certainty in the views held by one or more people. These views and their certainty come from agreement about the definitions used to state the view and consistency between the definitions and the conclusion drawn from them. This is valid or true or 'right' by definition and is analytical proof. Empirical proof which is proof by observation can only give certainty by approximation. An Empirical truth is really proof by odds. Gravity is seen to work trillions of times. That doesn't make the law of gravity true. The odds are trillions to zero that gravity is a true statement but we could discover that the next time we drop a rock it doesn't obey that law. The odds against that are very great so we say it is highly probable that gravity is true. That high probability is still not an absolute truth. Newton proved Gravity through analysis of the observed facts, definitions which are agreed on and consistency between theory and observed conditions. Einstein observed the effects of light and came to different conclusions. Right and wrong are questions better answered by philosophy or religion. Science deals with consistency and definitions and not so much with right and wrong.

technically yes, because it is not a law yet. Laws cannot be proven wrong because they are proven without uncertainty (which means each time the law is tested it always comes with the predicted result). some theories are closer to become laws more than others, but they still have some level of uncertainty which makes it be refuted as a law.