So in the definition for the word "Theory" what does it mean when they say "based on general principles independent of the thing to be explained."?

You got that from the Oxford Dictionary? I still don't like any of it.

So in the definition for the word "Theory" what does it mean when they say "based on general principles independent of the thing to be explained."?

Your theory on 'general principles' is what it means of any one cotraversial topic.

Yeah, I did. I don't like it very much either, but it was the best definition I could find