This is well-trodden ground of the theory of knowledge. People not being explicit about their assumptions about the world lead to destructive myths like "empirical fact" that collapse with the slightest institutional distrust.
Your founding premise, that observed data (that is one definition of 'empirical fact') and "consensus" are somehow opposing ideologies seems flawed however.
If you would prefer to read the term consensus in my original post, rather than empirical fact, then please do - it does not change my point.