True Science: Rigorous Observation of Facts
A certain research idea “could have led to the solution at which Pasteur arrived several years later, but because it was purely speculative, it was simply written up and never used for serious experimentation. In view of this shortcoming, Pasteur once again stated one of the articles of his scientific credo: ‘In the experimental sciences, truth cannot be distinguished from error as long as firm principles have not been established through rigorous observation of facts.” (p. 186)