Final answer:
Thorough investigations are conducted to understand underlying causes and develop prevention strategies, as seen in the study of pandemics and crime sprees. Historians prioritize the significance of causes and seek a nuanced understanding of events, contributing to a fact-based view of history.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two primary reasons why thorough investigations are conducted are to understand the underlying causes and patterns and to develop measures to prevent future occurrences of the event or issue being studied. For example, in the medical field, understanding how and why a virus like COVID-19 spread across the world helps in developing strategies to prevent future pandemics. In the context of law enforcement, comprehensively investigating a crime spree can illuminate the factors that led to the crimes, thereby aiding in the prevention of similar future incidents.
Historians conduct thorough investigations to prioritize the significance of causes and to gain a multi-faceted understanding of events over time. By assessing both immediate and long-term circumstances, they can present a more nuanced narrative of history. Through meticulous research, they pursue evidence-based conclusions rather than opinions, which also informs academic pursuits and societal understandings. Observational studies, while unable to establish causation, still contribute valuable insights that can guide experimental research or provide evidence when experimentation is not feasible.