Before we attempt to answer this question, we must first ask another, broader question: What is *theory*? The word theory comes to us from the ancient Greek *θεωρία* (*theōria*), meaning “contemplation” or “speculation.” *Theōria* derives from *θεωρός* (*theōros*), meaning “spectator.” Thus, a theorist is one who observes and thinks deeply about a matter, while a theory is an “the conceptual basis of a subject or area of study.”[^1] Logically then, we might conclude that “music theory” is a system of ideas intended to explain music. However, this assumption is problematic for several reasons, not least of which being that there is no singular theory of music which accounts for the vast differences of musical styles and traditions we encounter across the globe and throughout history. [^1]: *Oxford English Dictionary*, s.v. “theory (n.), sense 1.a,” December 2024, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/2303915942.