Theory is the essence of facts. Without theory scientific knowledge would be only worthy of the madhouse.
Interpretation
Theory provides context to facts, making them meaningful and useful in science.
This quote expresses the importance of theory in the scientific process. It suggests that while facts are critical, without a theoretical framework to interpret and understand them, those facts lack significance and direction, rendering scientific knowledge ineffectual.
In practice
During a lecture on scientific methodology, this quote can emphasize the role of theory.
Inventive genius requires pleasurable mental activity as a condition for its vigorous exercise. "Necessity is the mother of invention" is a silly proverb. "Necessity is the mother of futile dodges" is much closer to the truth. The basis of growth of modern invention is science, and science is almost wholly the outgrowth of pleasurable intellectual curiosity.
The most important advances, the qualitative leaps, are the least predictable. Not even the best scientists predicted the impact of nuclear physics, and everyday consumer items such as the iPhone would have seemed magic back in the 1950s.
One day I went up to my mom and I said, 'Mom, can I have permission to build a 2.3-million electron-volt atom smasher - a betatron - in the garage?' And my mom stared at me, and she said, 'Sure. Why not? And don't forget to take out the garbage.'
Beyond 2050 the world population may start to decrease if women across the world will have, on average, less than 2 children. But that decrease will be slow.
When the problem [quantum chromodynamics] is finally solved, it will all be by imagination. Then there will be some big thing about the great way it was done. But it's simple -it will all be by imagination, and persistence.
During my medical education at the University of Basle I found vivisection horrible, barbarous and above all unnecessary
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