# What does it mean when you're being theoretical?



## Blazy (Oct 30, 2010)

When there is a question like, "I am highly theoretical," I get somewhat confused on what that means. Educate me on this. How does "being highly theoretical" work in day to day lives?


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## charlie.elliot (Jan 22, 2014)

It means talking about something in terms of a generally-applicable idea, versus detailed, concrete examples. When you theorize, you take a handful of observable details and hypothesize that they might still be true on a much bigger scale. If you tried to cite all the exact details, it would take forever. So a theory is a short cut to understanding something very complicated, and also a way to predict the future. 

Love this quote- "In theory, theory and practice are the same, but in practice, they're different." LOL


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## Word Dispenser (May 18, 2012)

Theory might _not _be applicable to real life situations. Sometimes, when I discuss things, I'm accused of being irrelevant because of this.


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## nonnaci (Sep 25, 2011)

Abstractions in terms of abstractions often within conceptual frameworks. These are common occurrences working in any STEM field.


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## scenefinale (May 26, 2014)

It has a lot to do with abstractiing, modeling, discerning patterns, etc. based on observations. I like to think most good theories describe a framework and define the axioms of the framework (as in, the building blocks and their rules for interaction, etc.)


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## yentipeee (Jun 19, 2013)

It can also mean that you bore people with too much theory.


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## LostFavor (Aug 18, 2011)

I just take it to mean some variation on "I spend a lot of time theorizing possibilities" (almost like a hobby all its own). I don't necessarily see it as being a distinct part of day to day life.


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## FearAndTrembling (Jun 5, 2013)

It can mean many things, it can mean you speculate a lot. Basically you have the world figured out, inside your head, and reality is some force against you. That is my INTP friend anyway. lol. 

But how I remember things, is not through facts. The facts aren't even relevant. They are placeholders. Though I know a lot of facts. I put the facts into a narrative. I was saying I have forgotten so many facts. Like I used to know all human anatomy. I can't name many of the stuff anymore. But I still understand it as a process. I don't have to remember the names.

Knowledge is like a river flowing. The facts are the things you can see in it. Like buoys. I don't need them. I know the river. They can disappear, and I still remember the flow. Others rely on buoys.


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