Solid theories predicted climate change long ago, but it's easy for people who don't understand science to ignore those warnings. When we wait for data for "proof," we are on the road to learning the hard way. When we can finally measure bad things, is often too late for prevention.
The book, "How to lie with statistics," provided a warning about reliance on data, but the problem with data is not just the false conclusions it can be twisted to support. Data alone does not provide understanding of how things work. Data applied to the discovery of theory is of no use if we dismiss theory.
While theory can provide an understanding of mechanism, mere data often obscures mechanism and buries understanding in a sea of doubtful numbers.
Data alone is like noise. Theory supported by scientific research is like music.
We should be saying, "Its only data," instead of, "Its only theory."
The following excellent interview fails to consider how the role of misplaced skepticism of theory and the foolish trust in data lead to many of our problems. Waiting for data we don't need to understand our situation is leading us closer and closer to ...
The Collapse of Western Civilization
Science historians Naomi Oreskes of Harvard and Erik Conway of CalTech's new science fiction book, The Collapse of Western Civilization lays out how devastating our lack of action on climate change could be. Oreskes join host Steve Curwood to discuss how democracy, the free market and science are all failing humanity and the planet.
http://loe.org/audio/stream.m3u?file=http://www.loe.org/content/2015-01-16/loe_150116-oreskes.mp3
Bad theories are also a problem. The vulgar theory that wealth comes from human labor provides an excuse for denial of the theory that overpopulation is a cause of poverty, because more people can always "create" more wealth. The theory that capitalism is a big source of poverty is beyond doubt, but as Marx explained that doesn't exclude a scarcity of resources as being important too.
Barry