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Title 2: "Facts are needed to establish theories but theories are needed to make sense of

facts." Discuss this statement with reference to two areas of knowledge.

The broad spectrum of ‘theory’ encompasses ‘assumptions, propositions, or accepted facts’

that most often attempt to explain causal relationships or observed phenomena. (WebFinance

Inc). Therefore, theories can be used to make sense of facts. The Theory of Gravity explains

the reason behind the fact that objects fall towards the Earth, social science theories attempt

to explain known behavioural, socio-cultural and economic phenomena, theories in history

seek to explain why a certain event happened or why a certain development took place, or

even the possible outcome of an event, and so on.

The word ‘theory’ has its roots in the Greek word thorós, meaning ‘a spectator’. This

emphasizes the idea that ‘theories are mental models of the perceived reality’ (WebFinance

Inc). ‘Perceived reality’ is akin to ‘truth’. Therefore, theories are either based on truth or seek

to explain what is true, and yet, need not be based on facts. For example, geologists theorise

that the inner core of the Earth is solid although no one has gone till that point. While this

knowledge is better described as the ‘truth’, it is accepted as a ‘fact’ almost universally.

Therefore, one arrives at the question: In what way is a theory related to a fact?

Sometimes, theories explain ‘facts’. Heliocentricism and Geocentricism are theories which

tried to explain the apparent movement of heavenly bodies in the sky. Similarly, the Theory

of Natural Selection explains adaptation and extinction of animals. However, theories do not

hold much weight without the backing of factual evidence. Hence, the theory of

Heliocentricism has been accepted, while that of Geocentricism which was perceived to be

true was rejected as it contradicted facts; and excavations of fossils of prehistoric animals and
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observations from nature have proven the Theory of Natural Selection. To explore this topic

in greater depth, I would use theories from the human sciences, history and real life

situations, and answering three pertinent questions:

How important are facts in the process of finding the ‘truth’?

How do we know what is the fact? And

What is the relationship between ‘truth and fact?

The answers lie in the process of discovering the ‘truth’ – research. Social scientists and

historians refer to different primary and secondary sources of information. A social scientist

may look at demographic data, carry out surveys, conduct interviews and so on, and arrive at

conclusions based on analysis of a combination of evidences. Similarly, historians refer to the

findings of other historians related to their search, as well as archaeological evidence,

autobiographies, iconography, live video recordings of the event if any, and other sources.

For accurate cconclusions, reliance on only one or two sources is discouraged in both areas of

knowledge. This ‘scientific’ method of investigation is based on rational thinking or

reasoning, empirical evidences that are observable through sense perception, and

judgement. Empirical evidences are ‘facts’ that reveal the ‘truth’ to researchers and attempt

to bridge the gap between ‘fact’ and ‘truth’. Facts uncovered in the process of such research

help to establish the theory only if they prove the hypothesis or the support the research

statement.

Social scientists studying the human sciences, often attempt to explain real life situations

such as inflation with live examples. Inflation is a fact. Economists have various theories to

explain the possible underlying causes, which can also serve as a guide for governments to
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identify measures to control it. One such theory is that of Modern Inflation Theory which

explains demand-pull inflation citing examples of government policies of Germany and

Russia. The fact that inflation in Germany rose a billion-fold in 1922-23 when the

government printed billions of paper marks and that in Russia averaged 25% a month in the

1990s when monetary rubles were printed to finance a deficit budget illustrates how increase

in money supply raises the aggregate demand causing inflation. (Samuelson & D.Nordhaus,

2010) These facts, through reasoning, not only explain demand-pull inflation but also link

inflation to monetary policy. The theory would have little value without backing by factual

examples.

In history, various theories attempt to explain the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization.

Some historians believe that the cities might have been destroyed by floods, others feel that a

disease must have killed the people while some historians believe that the Aryans invaded

and either killed the people or drove them to the southern India. (J. Fuste, 1988) However,

using reasoning as well as various new archaeological evidences, the Theory of Aryan

Invasion was debunked as skeletons were found in positions that suggested no struggle, no

weapons were found at the site and the presence of sacrificial altars at the excavated sites

suggests that the Harappans were a part of the Vedic-Aryan fold. Historians believe that

these two groups of people coexisted. (Rajaram) The theory about diseases could hold also

true as a study of the skeletons suggests that many died from malaria. (BBC, 2014) Recent

findings however suggest that the civilization was not destroyed but rather, de-urbanized and

the people migrated as changing climatic conditions did not help their agricultural practices.

(Pillalamarri, 2016)
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However, it is not always that facts are required to establish theories. This holds true

particularly in religious knowledge systems where theories on creation and natural

phenomena are often based on faith rather than any concrete evidence. Experts in the field

look at the religious texts and scholars who wrote them as authority, and trusted them as

dispensers of the ‘truth’.

In the human sciences, Freud’s structural model of the mind identified three entities – the

id, the ego and the superego (called “the psychic apparatus”). Since these are not physically

present in different areas within the human brain, this theory is more of a ‘hypothetical

conceptualization’ of mental functions. (Mc.Leod, 2013) Such theories draw inspiration from

sense perception but are based more on imagination and intuition rather than facts.

In the 19th Century, Hegel changed the way people view history. He approached history with

an ‘objective mind’ and viewed historical phenomena from an evolutionary perspective, i.e.

as ‘moments, elements, phases’ of a single process that is ‘creative, cumulative, progressive

and ceaseless’. (Novack) This idea evolved into Dialectical Materialism – a theory based on

his personal reasoning (judgement) and insight of social changes and historical events, and

imagination of their evolution, rather than facts.

Sometimes, scholars theorise in order to explain facts. Looking at the works of Leonardo

da Vinci, we wonder why his paintings are so perfect unless we analyse them. Art historians

observed geometric patterns, ratios and proportions that make his art so perfect. The

Vitruvian Man for example, fits in a pentagram. Many arts of work exhibit the Fibonacci

ratio. Hence, to understand theories we need facts.

An example from the human sciences is the Quantity Theory of Money which draws a

direct and proportional relationship between prices and money supply. It explains why

countries with low growth in money supply have moderate inflation while those with rapid

growth in money have high or galloping inflation. (Samuelson & D.Nordhaus, 2010)

Similarly, Freud came up with his theory of psychoanalysis to explain people’s behaviour

and even applied it to explain why people see certain dreams. He underscored the

importance of the unconscious mind, with the primary assumption that the unconscious mind

governs behaviour to a great extent. (Mc.Leod, 2013)

In history too, theories have been used to explain facts. It was a fact that King Tutankhamen

became a ruler at a very young age and did not live long. Historians have different theories

regarding his death. Some cite evidence suggesting that he was murdered, probably by a few

servants who wished to restore Egypt to its older days or by Ay who stood to inherit the

throne. Those who have studied forensic evidence, theorise that he died of an infection or of

an accident as his leg was fractured. (KingTutOne.com, 2016) These theories attempt to

understand the fact that King Tutankhamen had an untimely death.

Lay persons theorise too. For example, to explain the fact of increasing traffic, theories could

vary from badly maintained roads, bad weather and even the ever-increasing population.

On another note, it is not every time that a theory is used to explain a fact. A theory could

simply be an idea that may describe something. Hegel’s theory mentioned earlier does not

explain any fact but rather suggests how history should be viewed. Similarly, in the human

sciences, theories of feminism try to examine the possible reasons behind patriarchy and

suggest ways to overcome oppression of women.

Facts are not truths; they are not conclusions; they are not even premises, but in the nature

and parts of premises. – Samuel Taylor Coleridge (ThinkExist, 1999-2016)

Theory is worth but little, unless it can explain its own phenomena, and it must effect this

without contradicting itself; therefore, the facts are sometimes assimilated to the theory,

rather than the theory to the facts. - Charles Caleb Colton (Notable Quotes, 2005-16)

Facts and truths cannot exist exclusive of theories and both are needed in order to gain a good

understanding of things and situations. While facts often form a part and parcel of theory as a

basis of explanation, there are also theories made to explain facts. At times, a theory involves

both – facts are explained by the theory which uses other facts as evidence for the same.

When a historian explains an event such as the untimely death of a king, he makes a theory

based on other facts such as forensic evidence, writings of other historians and so on.

Examples from the human sciences as well as history and real life situations have shown how

facts and theory are linked.

Word Count: 1600

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