What is more important in scientific research?

Question

Fact or Theory?

Answer 1

The word "science" means "knowing". Unfortunately, we never know anything unless we go looking for it or it forces itself upon our consciousness. Either way, we need a theory to explain what we're sensing or what we're looking for.

So a disease (measles, say) forces itself on our consciousness but then we need a theory of what it is. Unless we have the theory first, we can't look for evidence. That was the problem with early medicine: the theories were wrong (rejectable) when the evidence was collected. Measles is not caused by eating cranberries, malaria and typhoid are not caused by bad swampy smells, common cold is not caused by getting chilled.

From the theory you can get some ideas to test. Does anyone get measles where cranberries don't grow? If one person in a family gets common cold or typhoid, do the others seem to get it? Then we get information.

At the very end of the process is a deduction which leads us to something like a fact. Not actually a fact: only a supported theory. Measles is caused by a substance that passes from one person to another. Malaria is caused by an insect bite. Typhoid is caused by drinking sewage. The evidence for these is so strong that we call them facts, but there are NO scientific facts.

Now here's a good question: what causes global warming? The theories come first.
1. It's a natural cyclical phenomenon.
2. It's caused by natural carbon emissions such as from volcanoes, cattle farting, bush fires and so on.
3. It's not actually happening at all; there's a plot by scientists and politicians to get their hands on our money and spend their lives investigating, arguing, making policy, controlling the population, keeping poor countries in their place, making sure that USA stays rich and powerful.
4. It's caused by carbon emissions, mostly from human industrial activity.

None of these is a fact. The evidence is inconclusive as yet. Such evidence as we have suggests that this is the correct order of explanations.

All we have are theories. No facts. It's just that some theories are better supported than others. The same is true about the cosmos, genetics and evolution, economics, cellular biology, diseases and so on.

Only the deeply religious believe they have facts. The rest of the (scientific) world works on the basis of theories that need testing.

Answer 2

In science theory contains facts, theory is based of facts. In order to build a significant theory you need good, hard, clean, statistically significant, reproducible data based of the scientific method. So, for research, fact is the most important.

Many people just plain do not understand the meaning of the word "theory" in science. It is too bad, but many people assume the lay or common definition. Nor do the understand the scientific method. So, I am providing explanations for each.

Scientific Laws, Hypotheses, and Theories
http://wilstar.com/theories.htm

THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
http://servercc.oakton.edu/~billtong/eas100/scientificmethod.htm

Answer 3

there is no point is doing research on FACTS (they are facts indeed),

and theories are very important in any scientific research.

Answer 4

Theory I suppose. Facts are results of previous research subject to change. " The gap between theory and practice in theory is not as large as gap between theory and practice in practice. "

Answer 5

The theory leads to the research, which may or may not lead to a scientifically proveable.....
So, the thinking (i.e. the theory) is vital.

Answer 6

Fact.

Without fact, what use is theory?

Answer 7

"Fact" is the verification of "Theory", therefore it is the end result of research

Answer 8

Luck is the most important.

Most of our scientific breakthroughs have been the result of errors or just pure luck.

Answer 9

it has to be both, to have a scientific research

Answer 10

Funding. No money = No research

Followed by ideas. Need to have an imaginative mind to come up with ideas.