No, you don’t “prove” or “disprove” any theories, hypothesis or model.
The proper words would be “tested”, “to test”, and the possible outcome of such tests would be -
- “verified”, “probable”, if true,
- or “refuted”, “debunked”, “improbable”, “not probable”, if false.
The only ways
“to test” a theory, hypothesis or model, in sciences, is through
OBSERVATIONS &
DATA, and these come from observations of the (multiple)
EVIDENCE or
EXPERIMENTS., or ideally
“both, evidence & experiments”.
Note. The test results from experiments lab experiments are also considered evidence too.
Sciences relied on evidence, not on “proofs”.
In Physical Sciences and Natural Sciences, and in advanced mathematics, “proof” and “evidence” are synonymous for each other.
“Proof” is a logical model or logical statement. You would know proof as mathematical equation.
Equations are not “evidence”.
To give you examples of some proofs as used in sciences, are some well known equations:
Ohm‘s Law: I = V R
2nd law in Newton’s laws of motion: F = m a
Mass-energy equivalence equation (in Special Relativity):
E = m c^2 (where c = speed of light)
These equations are not evidence; equations are mathematical proofs.
Evidence are used to test if the theory, hypothesis or model is either true or false, or either probable or improbable.
To understand science, or to argue for and against science, ones need o use the correct terminologies.
It is not word game or semantics to scientists and mathematicians, like most creationists like to think. Science, like mathematics, have their own vocabulary, just like computer science have their own vocabulary or language, law courts and contract have their own legal vocabulary that they used, musicians have their own language (eg beat, bar, tempo, sharp, flat, and of course, music notation), etc.
To argue for or against science effectively, you should at least understand the science terms, otherwise you end up sounding ignorant like science illiterate, an novice.
Understanding the difference between “evidence” and “proof”, seemed impossible for creationists; they cannot learn from their mistakes.
It reminds me of saying:
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.
Likewise, you can “teach” and “explain” science to creationists, but you can’t make them understand science...especially if it go against what they believe in...like their belief in god or belief in scriptures or religion.