What are starting points for new theories?

A starting point for a new theory is like the first block you pick to build a cool tower, it gives you something real to work from.

Imagine you're playing with blocks. You have a big pile, but no idea what shape your tower will be. That’s like not having a theory yet. But if you choose one block, maybe a red square, and say, "I’m going to make a tower that starts with this," then you’re setting up the starting point for your theory.

A good starting point is something simple and real. It might be an idea you noticed from playing or something you saw in nature. Like how birds fly, maybe you start by saying, "Birds use wings to move through air." That’s the first block of your theory about flight.

You can also take a guess or make a rule that seems true. For example, if you think, "If I push this block, it will fall," and then test it, that’s like building your theory from an observation.

Starting points are just ideas that give you something to build on, and they don’t need to be perfect, only helpful!