Unfortunately, there's no real distinction between "theory" and "what's provenly known". In science, theory does not mean "hypothesis". A theory is about the highest level an idea can achieve. The Theory of Gravity is pretty well-established.
But of course, anybody who reads these threads already knows that. They still keep mis-representing what a "theory" is. Their motives for doing so, I shall keep to myself.
"Unfortunately, there's no real distinction between "theory" and "what's provenly known"."
I not trying to take sides here -- if I were it would be for the ToE. However, a theory is not "provenly known". In fact, the best that can be said about any theory is "not yet disproven". You could say that the ToE is robust; that it has been tested many times, and not disproven; that it has generated many testable hypothesis -- but, you can't say it has been proven. This is a fundamental principal of the scientific method.
Even if "theory" did mean what you said, labeling something a theory wouldn't mean that it was proven. That would be a tautological argument, a type of logical fallacy.
"A theory is about the highest level an idea can achieve."
Actually, a law is considered stronger than a theory. Again -- this is just a simple fact. Just as calling the ToE a "theory" doesn't prove it -- not calling it the "Law of Evolution" doesn't make it any less true.
"The Theory of Gravity is pretty well-established."
Really! Check this out:
http://physicsweb.org/articles/world/16/4/9They still keep mis-representing what a "theory" is.
That's because some scientists insist on using their own special boys club definition of theory that can't be found anywhere but on FR and wikipedia instead of a more commonly known reliable, objective, source like Merriam Webster; which BTW was the definition that I was taught when I got my degree and public state university. None of this "special definiton used only by scientists" stuff just so they can tell the unenlightened that they don't know what they're talking about and that they need to go back to college and get a *real* education.