It is a grave mistake to theorize before one has data.
I agree with the that theorizing without data gives no educated answer to an object, but theorize of research objects is still needed because theorization is based on logical reasoing and researching object normally gives little or even no data, inspiration of academic research doesn't need data.
Theorization is based on logical reasoning, therefore, although many researching object nowaday still vaild data proves it has established a tracible hypothesis that helps professionals in their further research of the object by giving an educated guess of the research. Since datas of objects that needed research only reveal in observable object, if professionals just theorize objects that has vaild data, the field of research will be gravely limited because of perceivable scale of the world by the nowaday technology is limited and there are a large amount of the rest of the world cannot be perceived.
On the other hand, many invention are invented in a situation without any vaild data. For example, thomas edision found electricity with only his over thoudsand experiments. Many inventions even not in art field that need not much data such as science were theorized with inspiration which is an instant stimulation of inspire with dataless. Then later on, dated theorization will come to these inventions because the more research done on them, but at the beginning of the invention, little data can be provided of the theory of the invented object. For instant, in ancient time, when human found fire from a burn by thunder, the theory of fire is simple- fire is needed an object to let it burning on. But as people research more about fire, nowaday people know the scientific process of burning.
Lastly, abundant of data doesn't mean it can bring to a sucess research since academic research depend a lot on logical processes. A misleading research method can ruin a research and finally a misleading theory. For example in art research, two people review a paint, two people can have different interpretation of the paint lastly.
In sum, although data can help theorization but lack of reasearching method doesn't garantee a success research and the core of academic research depends on logical reasoning and inspiration.