In networking class today:

Student - "But this is just in theory, how does it work in practice?"

Lecturer - "In theory, theory and practice are the same thing."

Wait, what?!

I mean in theory, theory works like theory.

Perhaps a professor that has never had a job outside teaching? Or a nicely sarcastic one.

Practice is theory and tomato’s are potatoes.

Uhm... Yea that's something people say, but only in a sarcastic joking manner:

In theory, theory and practice are the same thing, but in practice...

It's a joke! He doesn't actually think that does he?!?!!

Well, if this wasn't a joke, hopefully they aren't in charge of building any bridges... Where I live, a university-led bridge project collapsed despite having their architecture department & professors working with the builders & contractors if I recall correctly. It's top program nationwide and it still collapsed and killed multiple people.... one professional/industry architect said this about the project:

"we should never let engineers design anything you can see."

Hope things get better for you in other classes and you can get some practice in a much safer way :)

What's the difference between theory and practice?
In theory there is none. In practice it's gigantic. //roughly translated, sounds more cool in slovenian though..

In theory we are walking meatballs.

@vane i agree with this 100%

@AliceLiddell sounds like a lack of engineers. Architects are not engineers.

It's possible the professor thought the student was being ridiculous and gave a silly answer.

"theory and practice are the same in theory but totally different in practise" - GM Ben Finegold

@dontPanic The best chess teacher if you want to learn one-liners and maybe some chess as well.

By that theory, 60 percent of the time it works, everytime

Theoretically your teacher was correct.