--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Theory not only formulates what we know…" description: "\"Theory not only formulates what we know but also tells us what we want to know, that is, the questions to which an answer is needed.\" — Talcott Parsons" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c99/talcott-parsons-19348_needed_theory-not-only-formulates-what-we-know_1269748.jpg" --- # Theory not only formulates what we know but also tells us… ![“Theory not only formulates what we know but also tells us what we want to know, that is, the questions to which an answer is needed.” quote by Talcott Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c99/talcott-parsons-19348_needed_theory-not-only-formulates-what-we-know_1269748.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c99/talcott-parsons-19348_needed_theory-not-only-formulates-what-we-know_1269748.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c99/talcott-parsons-19348_needed_theory-not-only-formulates-what-we-know_1269748.jpg) > “Theory not only formulates what we know but also tells us what we want to know, that is, the questions to which an answer is needed.” [Talcott Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Formulating theories defines current knowledge and also highlights gaps, directing future inquiry toward needed answers. **In simple terms:** Theories show what we know and what we still need to discover. Key Takeaway Use theory to identify and pursue unanswered questions. Themes knowledge inquiry theory Mood analytical inquisitive Type philosophical academic When to use this quote - academic research - policy development - business strategy Key Concepts epistemology research methodology Questions to Reflect On - What questions does your current framework ignore? - How can you test the limits of your theory? A Different Perspective Theories can limit thinking if they become dogma. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“I know all the tells a woman makes when she wants me. The furtive glance. The parted mouth. The rapid heartbeat. The light sheen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliette-cross/i-know-all-the-tells-a-woman-makes-when-she-wants-me-the-furtive/) [Juliette Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliette-cross/) > [“When no one you know tells the truth, you learn to see under the surface.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/when-no-one-you-know-tells-the-truth-you-learn-to-see-under-the/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Fiction doesn’t tell us something we don’t know, it tells us something we know but don’t know that we know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-percy/fiction-doesn-t-tell-us-something-we-don-t-know-it-tells-us-something/) [Walker Percy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-percy/) > [“I know that whenever someone tells you they are doing 'what's best for you', you're screwed. Those are not words you want to hear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-hanson/i-know-that-whenever-someone-tells-you-they-are-doing-what-s-best-for/) [Caroline Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-hanson/) > [“You know what I know? I know that whenever someone tells you they are doing 'what's best for you', you're screwed. Those are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-hanson/you-know-what-i-know-i-know-that-whenever-someone-tells-you-they-are/) [Caroline Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-hanson/) > [“...what they show tells you what they want to hide.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-clevenger/what-they-show-tells-you-what-they-want-to-hide/) [Craig Clevenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-clevenger/) > [If the picture speaks to me, if it tells me something about myself, then I want it. Then I have to have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-simon/if-the-picture-speaks-to-me-if-it-tells-me-something-about-myself/) [Norton Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-simon/) > [True friend won't always tells you what you want to hear, but what you need to hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaze-olamiday/true-friend-won-t-always-tells-you-what-you-want-to-hear-but-what-you/) [Blaze Olamiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaze-olamiday/) > [Anytime someone tells me that I can't do something, I want to do it more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/anytime-someone-tells-me-that-i-can-t-do-something-i-want-to-do-it/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [A friend tells you what you want to hear;a best friend tells you the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/a-friend-tells-you-what-you-want-to-hear-a-best-friend-tells-you-the/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [“Our culture tells us to want sex, pleasure, and instant gratification. Every hit song raves about it. Consumerism tells us that we need it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-heil/our-culture-tells-us-to-want-sex-pleasure-and-instant-gratification/) [Michael J Heil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-heil/) > [You want to work with people who see something outside of you and that you're maybe not aware of. If someone gives you advice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-flint/you-want-to-work-with-people-who-see-something-outside-of-you-and/) [Jill Flint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-flint/) > [“Feel that? I don't walk around with a lead pipe in my jeans, so what do you think that tells you about how much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-monroe/feel-that-i-don-t-walk-around-with-a-lead-pipe-in-my-jeans-so-what-do/) [Lucy Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-monroe/) > [A friend tells you what you want to hear, but a best friend tells you the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrthrill/a-friend-tells-you-what-you-want-to-hear-but-a-best-friend-tells-you/) Mrthrill > [We decided that how we react to and treat those fellow mortals, wild and domestic, tells us more about ourselves than, perhaps, some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clooney/we-decided-that-how-we-react-to-and-treat-those-fellow-mortals-wild/) [Nick Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clooney/) ## More by Talcott Parsons > [A theoretical system does not merely state facts which have been observed and that logically deducible relations to other facts which have also been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/a-theoretical-system-does-not-merely-state-facts-which-have-been/) [Talcott Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/) > [The main concern of the study is with the outline of a theoretical system. Its minor variations from writer to writer are not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/the-main-concern-of-the-study-is-with-the-outline-of-a-theoretical/) [Talcott Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/) > [But the fact a person denies that he is theorising is no reason for taking him at his word and failing to investigate what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/but-the-fact-a-person-denies-that-he-is-theorising-is-no-reason-for/) [Talcott Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/) > [The hypothesis may be put forward, to be tested by the s subsequent investigation, that this development has been in large part a matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/the-hypothesis-may-be-put-forward-to-be-tested-by-the-s-subsequent/) [Talcott Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/) > [The implications of these considerations justify the statement that all empirically verifiable knowledge even the commonsense knowledge of everyday life - involves implicitly, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/the-implications-of-these-considerations-justify-the-statement-that/) [Talcott Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/) > [In so far as such a theory is empirically correct it will also tell us what empirical facts it should be possible to observe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/in-so-far-as-such-a-theory-is-empirically-correct-it-will-also-tell/) [Talcott Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/) > [The conception that, instead of this, contemporary society is at or near a turning point is very prominent in the views of a school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/the-conception-that-instead-of-this-contemporary-society-is-at-or/) [Talcott Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/) > [If capitalism begins as the practical idealism of the aspiring bourgeoisie, it ends ... as an orgy of materialism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/if-capitalism-begins-as-the-practical-idealism-of-the-aspiring/) [Talcott Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/) > [The part an actor played on stage was once written on a separate roll of paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/the-part-an-actor-played-on-stage-was-once-written-on-a-separate-roll/) [Talcott Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/) > [Thus, in general, in the first instance, the direction of interest in empirical fact will be canalised by the logical structure of the theoretical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/thus-in-general-in-the-first-instance-the-direction-of-interest-in/) [Talcott Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/) > [That is, a system starts with a group of interrelated propositions which involve reference to empirical observations within the logical framework of the propositions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/that-is-a-system-starts-with-a-group-of-interrelated-propositions/) [Talcott Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/) > [Among those who are satisfactory in this respect it is desirable to have represented as great a diversity of intellectual tradition, social milieu and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/among-those-who-are-satisfactory-in-this-respect-it-is-desirable-to/) [Talcott Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/) > [If observed facts of undoubted accuracy will not fit any of the alternatives it leaves open, the system itself is in need of reconstruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/if-observed-facts-of-undoubted-accuracy-will-not-fit-any-of-the/) [Talcott Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/) > [Now obviously the propositions of the system have reference to matters of empirical fact; if they did not, they could have no claim to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/now-obviously-the-propositions-of-the-system-have-reference-to/) [Talcott Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/) > [If there are four equations and only three variables, and no one of the equations is derivable from the others by algebraic manipulation then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/if-there-are-four-equations-and-only-three-variables-and-no-one-of/) [Talcott Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/) [Explore all 33 Talcott Parsons quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/) ## More Needed quotes > [I always believed that photography was subjective, interpretive and certainly did not represent the truth, but I did think that its status as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-ritchin/i-always-believed-that-photography-was-subjective-interpretive-and/) [Fred Ritchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-ritchin/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [Behind every word flows energy. If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I've never had a couch that needed to be cleaned or learned how to couch-clean in general. That feels too grown-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-mckinnon/i-ve-never-had-a-couch-that-needed-to-be-cleaned-or-learned-how-to/) [Kate McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-mckinnon/) > [I just know that I wasn't happy where I was. I didn't feel complete. I didn't feel like I was contributing what I needed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-pendergrass/i-just-know-that-i-wasn-t-happy-where-i-was-i-didn-t-feel-complete-i/) [Teddy Pendergrass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-pendergrass/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [Come at once. Help me. Save me. I need you as I have never needed you before. I love you, I love you, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/come-at-once-help-me-save-me-i-need-you-as-i-have-never-needed-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [If there was a payment to the bank due, and we needed shoes, she'd get the shoes, and then deal with them guys at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/if-there-was-a-payment-to-the-bank-due-and-we-needed-shoes-she-d-get/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [My dreams were always small and puny. All I ever needed was a little house with a little picket fence by the sea. Little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-marcos/my-dreams-were-always-small-and-puny-all-i-ever-needed-was-a-little/) [Imelda Marcos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-marcos/) > [I hadn't known anything else, other than being an artist, and I needed to be a person for a while, really get to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-styrke/i-hadn-t-known-anything-else-other-than-being-an-artist-and-i-needed/) [Tove Styrke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-styrke/) > [My own experience of over 60 years in biomedical research amply demonstrated that without the use of animals and of human beings, it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-sabin/my-own-experience-of-over-60-years-in-biomedical-research-amply/) [Albert Sabin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-sabin/) > [To all conservative women out there: If you are so sure the embryo needed for stem cell research are precious human life that can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/to-all-conservative-women-out-there-if-you-are-so-sure-the-embryo/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I'm generally never at a lack for words, but it's indescribable how poor the response was from our own government officials, ... We could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannibal/i-m-generally-never-at-a-lack-for-words-but-it-s-indescribable-how/) [Hannibal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannibal/) Browse all 4,941 Needed quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Theory not only formulates what we know but also tells us what we want to know, that is, the questions to which an answer is needed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Talcott Parsons" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/theory-not-only-formulates-what-we-know-but-also-tells-us-what-we/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Needed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/theory-not-only-formulates-what-we-know-but-also-tells-us-what-we/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c99/talcott-parsons-19348_needed_theory-not-only-formulates-what-we-know_1269748.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c99/talcott-parsons-19348_needed_theory-not-only-formulates-what-we-know_1269748.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c99/talcott-parsons-19348_needed_theory-not-only-formulates-what-we-know_1269748.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Theory not only formulates what we know but also tells us what we want to know, that is, the questions to…” — Talcott Parsons", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Talcott Parsons", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Theory not only formulates what we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/theory-not-only-formulates-what-we-know-but-also-tells-us-what-we/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/theory-not-only-formulates-what-we-know-but-also-tells-us-what-we/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```