Empirical fact-finding improves substantially with prior theoretical groundwork.

Evidence

Our project definitely deals with empirical research. But I am convinced, the same as you are, that fact-finding can be extremely improved by extensive preliminary theoretical thinking. — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 986

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to Adorno’s broader dialectical method and to debates about theory-driven vs. data-driven social research. — connects to: Prior experiments determine which economic facts even become available and plausible — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin: The Making…, 1986; Improved factual description gave rise to early ethnographic observation — Stuart Hall, Essential Essays, Volume 2: Identity…, 604; Kosambi fused empirical evidence and theory in one unified procedure. — Aijaz Ahmad, In Theory: Classes, Nations, Literatures, 1230

Broader Connections

• Prior experiments determine which economic facts even become available and plausible #expands (0.80) — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin, 1986
• Improved factual description gave rise to early ethnographic observation #exemplifies (0.80) — Stuart Hall, Essential Essays, Volume 2, 604