Why does theory matter?

"All theory, dear friend, is gray, but the golden tree of life springs ever green." The theory autumn 2007 starts with an quote from Goethe's "Faust" which became the blueprint of a great deal of cliches picked up by Hegel, Marx and many others. But, is theory really a grey matter? The opening session of the KIT theory course is dealing with a rather fundamental question: Why does theory matter?