: continua or continuums) theories or models explain variation as involving gradual quantitative transitions without abrupt changes or discontinuities.
In contrast, categorical theories or models explain variation using qualitatively different states.
A good introduction to the philosophical issues involved is John Lane Bell's essay in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
It determines the divide between intuitionistic continua such as Brouwer's and Lawvere's, and classical ones such as Stevin's and Robinson's.
Expert witnesses particularly are trained to help courts in translating the data into the legal (e.g. 'guilty' vs. 'not guilty') dichotomy, which apply to law, sociology and ethics.