THE NATURE OF RESEARCH JEAN LADRIERE and EDOUARD BONE THE NEED
FOR RESEARCH To investigate the place research should occupy in
the Ch urch, it is necessary first to study the significance of
research in itself, or independently of any applications to
which it might give rise. Being more proximate to us, it is
often the applications which receive the most attention. (a)
Research is a fundamental dimension of the life of the mind in
which each person is called to participate, and which each
should be able to undertake to some degree during his or her
life. In classical terms the question of research would be
considered to be that of the general relationship of the m ind
and truth, but it is necessary to clarify how truth presents
itself concretely. Where traditionally it would be said that
truth is found in the proposition, today it is more readily said
to be located in "theory." A theory is an organized sequence of
propositions sustained by factors such as agreement with
experience and the ability to be submit