Quote by Neal Stephenson
If you can't test it, it's not theorics -- it's metatheorics. A branch of philosophy. So, if you want to think of it this way, our test equipment is what defines the boundary separating theorics from philosophy.
Summary
This quote suggests that the defining factor separating theory from philosophy is the ability to test it. If an idea or concept cannot be tested or proven through empirical evidence, it falls within the realm of metatheory, a philosophical branch concerned with the nature and principles of theory itself. In this context, the quote emphasizes that the boundary between theory and philosophy is determined by the existence or absence of test equipment that enables experimentation and verification.