A good theoretical account must explain all of the…
“A good theoretical account must explain all of the evidence that we see. If it doesn't work everywhere, we have no idea what we are talking about, and all is chaos.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A theory must account for every observed fact; missing any data means the theory is incomplete and leads to disorder.
In simple terms: A theory must explain all evidence.
Ensure comprehensive evidence coverage.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- research design
- policy analysis
- academic publishing
- data collection
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we test a theory against all data?
- What risks arise from selective evidence?
If evidence is ignored, conclusions may be biased.