a. (sb.) [ad. late L. theōrētic-us (a. 397 Ambrosius, Exameron, I. 5 § 17, theoreticæ artes opposed to actuosæ), a. Gr. θεωρητικός contemplative, f. θεωρητ-ός that may be seen, f. θεωρεῖν to look at, contemplate, inspect. So F. théoretique (1721 in Hatz.-Darm.).]
† 1. Speculative. Obs.
1656. Stanley, Hist. Philos., v. (1701), 180/2. Or Theoretick Philosophy one part enquires into things immutable … and the first causes of things.
1706. Phillips, Theoretick, Theorical, or Theorick, belonging to Theory: Speculative.
2. (Rendering Gr. θεωρητικός in Aristotle.) Contemplative, as opposed to active or practical (πρακτικός): cf. CONTEMPLATIVE A. 3. rare.
1907. J. Seth, in Hibbert Jrnl., Oct., 117. In Aristotle we find the affirmation of the superior value … of the ‘theoretic’ or spiritual life to the practical life.
3. = THEORETICAL 2.
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies, Cornw. (1662), I. 202. Attaining to great perfection in the Theoretick, and practicall parts of those professions.
1750. Johnson, Rambler, No. 77, ¶ 7. Few men, celebrated for theoretick wisdom, live with conformity to their precepts.
1773. Life N. Frowde, 65. I soon reduced my Theoretic Knowledge to Practice.
1862. Tyndall, Mountaineer., ii. 10. Our master minds built their theoretic edifices upon the rock of fact.
b. = THEORETICAL 2 b.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., Wks. V. 234. Is it then true, that … it was of absolute necessity the whole fabrick should be … pulled down, and the area cleared for the erection of a theoretick experimental edifice in its place?
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. I. ii. Plots which cannot be executed; which are mostly theoretic.
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, Universities, Wks. (Bohn), II. 91. Seven years’ residence is the theoretic period for a master’s degree.
c. Of persons, their minds, etc.: Versed in or proceeding by the scientific theory of the subject; opposed to empirical; also, Given to theories; speculative; theorizing: sometimes opp. to praclical; = THEORETICAL 3 a, b.
1727–41. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., The theoretic physicians were such as went on the foot of reason, in opposition to the empirical physicians, who went wholly on experience.
1783. Pott, Chirurg., Wks. II. 435. To which theoretic and whimsical people have assigned this disease.
1872. Geo. Eliot, Middlem., i. Her mind was theoretic, and yearned by its nature after some lofty conception of the world. Ibid., lxxxvi. Distinguished in his side of the county as a theoretic and practical farmer.
4. Relating to the moral perception of beauty.
(Used in this sense by Ruskin, in preference to æsthetic: see quot., and cf. THEORIA 2.)
1846. Ruskin, Mod. Paint., II. III. I. i. § 10. The Theoretic faculty is concerned with the moral perception and appreciation of ideas of beauty. And the error respecting it is … calling it Æsthetic, degrading it to a mere operation of sense.
B. sb.
1. Usually pl.: Theory (as opposed to practic, practice); theoretical matters (= next, B.).
1656. Stanley, Hist. Philos., V. (1701), 180/1. The Science of things that are is called Theoretick; of those which pertain to Action Practick.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Theoreticks, those things that belong to the Speculative part of Physick.
1860. H. B. Wilson, in Ess. & Rev., 160. Morals come before contemplation, ethics before theoretics.
1865. Hodgson, Time & Space, II. ix. § 68. 566. The three functions are conation, cognition, and feeling. The three branches of knowledge founded on these are Technic, Theoretic, and Teleologic.
2. A person devoted to a life of contemplation. (See quot.; cf. 2 above, and THEORIC sb. 4.)
a. 1832. Bentham, Deontology (1834), I. 54. A band of men, whom … he [the Moralist] calls theoretics. These men look … to contemplation alone for the summum bonum…. To reach the summit of human felicity, a man has nothing to do but to contemplate. Who would not be a theoretic?
