Sublime

FRANCIS BACON (1561-1626), although his philosophy is in many ways unsatisfactory, has permanent importance as the founder of modern inductive method and the pioneer in the attempt at logical systematization of scientific procedure.

Bacon’s own experiments are of slight scientific value, nor was he very familiar with some of the most important discoveries of his own day; but the fundamental principles laid down by him form the foundation of modern scientific method.

Bacon’s most important book, The Advancement of Learning, is in many ways remarkably modern. He is commonly regarded as the originator of the saying “Knowledge is power,” and though he may have had predecessors who said the same thing, he said it with new emphasis. The whole basis of his philosophy was practical: to give mankind mastery over the fo

The empirical method used by Bacon emphasized a cycle: observations should lead to a hypothesis, which should then be tested by precise experiments, which would then be used to refine the original hypothesis. Bacon also recorded and reported his experiments in precise detail so that others could independently replicate and verify them.

But it is unjust to regard the “Essays” as representing Bacon’s ideal of conduct. They are rather a collection of shrewd observations as to how, in fact, men do get on in life; human nature, not as it ought to be, but as it

He conceived, however, that for the achievement of the great results at which he aimed, money and prestige were necessary; and he worked hard for both.

Against all the religious vitriol curiosity had sustained, Francis Bacon, onetime lord chancellor of England and staunch proponent of empiricism, defends it, characterizing it as absolutely “natural” and in fact “useful” when tasked with building knowledge in the service of humankind.

One of the most famous parts of Bacon’s philosophy is his enumeration of what he calls “idols,” by which he means bad habits of mind that cause people to fall into error. Of these he enumerates five kinds. “Idols of the tribe” are those that are inherent in human nature; he mentions in particular the habit of expecting more order in natural phenome