 In direct opposition to the Empiricists were the Rationalists, who valued the study of established teachings in order to create new theories in the name of medical advancements.The Methodists formed somewhat of a middle ground, as they were not as experimental as the Empiricists, nor as theoretical as the Rationalists.The Methodists mainly utilized pure observation, showing greater interest in studying the natural course of ailments than making efforts to find remedies.