Issue184,14,酒香,nofeelings

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TOPIC: ISSUE184 - "It is a grave mistake to theorize before one has data."

I consider that to theorize is to set a point of view on something, including maths, science, arts, etc. It is not always right to say that data is necessary for the theory. In my opinion, It is not always a grave mistake to theorize before one has data. Sometimes, data are the precursor to some theory; some times, data only can prove the prediction, this is to say data can only prove the theory; sometimes, data are useless.

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Sometimes, before one theorizes, he or she must has data. Particurly speaking, if we want to illustrate how a person looks like, we must have seen this guy before. After then and according to our feeling we can draw a conclusion whether he or she is beautiful. Further speaking, if we want to comment on the quality of this guy, we must go alone with him or she for sometime, such like talk with or do something together with this guy. After then we have some details about this guy, with carefully thinking over we can say what is this person like, warm-hearted or indifferent, solemn or joky, talkative or sparing of words, or some other property etc. This is to say, before we theorize on a specific person's look, we must have seen him or her, and before we theorize on his or her property, we must have got in touch with this guy for a long time. The images and details of person are all the data before theory. In the area of science, we also need data to draw conclusion. For example, when we propose an algorithm, such as neural network, which is an algorithm that emulate the function of brain to solve the complex problem such like TSP(travel salesman problem)a lot of simulations has to be done to prove its efficiency. Simulations are just the data of a visual experiment to prove a theory. Darwin has read a lot of files and collected plenty of specimens to prove his evolution theory:
survival of the fittest in natural selection.
Archaeology must deduce the ancient situation from the historical remains like the Imperial Palace, Pyramid, or files written by ancient people, etc. According to these, we can say sometimes, before the theory, there always some data that have relation to this theory rendered.

However, some theories are not brought about after data rendered. Like the art, there are so many things about emotion in art, so before the theories of art are brought into being, there are mostly emotions, instead of data. Eric Clapton, the famous rock country musician, wrote the song 'tears in heaven' to commemorate his young dead son. The broken hearted feeling let him compose this great song. This song can be viewed as a theory about his family love which expressed by the music. The religion can also explain for this situation. For instance the Christian, God only exist for those who believe in him, and help those who help themselves. They do not need to prove this, they just believe it. The belief makes the theory that God exists and is helping standable instead of data in this case. And if there are data, Van Gogh may not draw the fabulous painting with great imagination because things will hamper his great talent in which the data are useless. In some areas of mathematics, or pure science, experience or deduction is the only way to propose a theory, not data. Before the theory of Relative, there are no data, Einstein only deduce it, even it is proved by the experiment data later. Some math’s equation also can not proved by data, because the data are endless and the logic is the only reliable thing in this area. So these can illustrate the data sometimes are useless for the theory.

Generally speaking, data is not an necessary thing for theory. To proposal one’s point of view on one thing, the data’s effect depends on the specific area.