The Use of Data in Developing Theory: Scientifically Acceptable or Alchemy?

Researchers have always been faced with the temptation of exploring data bases to discover atheoretical relationships. The advent of the computer 25 years ago, made this process easier. Today the process is made even easier by increasingly sophisticated quantitative techniques. This article uses the philosophy of science to address the questions concerning the circumstances that make it acceptable to explore data bases without a strong theoretical perspective.