A Nice Quote Against Confirmatory Testing

Most of the technology of “confirmatory” non-qualitative research in both the social and natural sciences is aimed at preventing discovery. When confirmatory research goes smoothly, everything comes out precisely as expected. Received theory is supported by one more example of its usefulness, and requires no change. As in everyday social life, confirmation is exactly the absence of insight. In science, as in life, dramatic new discoveries must almost by definition be accidental (”serendipitous”). Indeed, they occur only in consequence of some mistake.