Francis Bacon

Francis Bacon . English philosopher, founder of materialism and modern experimental science . When James I ascended the throne , he reached high positions in the state and was named Lord Chancellor of the kingdom. He authored the famous treatise “Novum Organum” ( 1620 ) (unlike Aristotle ‘s “Organon” ) in which he expounded a new conception of the objectives of science and the bases of scientific induction. After proclaiming that the end of knowledge lies in the ability of science to increase the power of man over nature , Bacon pointed out that this end could only be achieved by science that came to know the true causes of phenomena. For this reason he spoke out against scholasticism . ^[1]

Summary

[ disguise ]

• 1 Biographical summary
  • 1 Career
  • 2 Knowledge
  • 3 Literary work
  • 4 Death
• 2 Theories about occultism
• 3 Quotes from Bacon
• 4 See also
• 5 References
• 6 Sources

Biographical summary

His father was a high magistrate in the government of Elizabeth I , and he was educated by his mother in the principles of Calvinist Puritanism.

Although it has not been established with certainty, there is reason to believe that Bacon was tutored at home during his early years, and that his health during that period, as well as afterwards, was poor. In 1573 , at the age of 13, he entered Trinity College, Cambridge, an institution where he studied until 1576 , a period he spent in the company of his older brother, Anthony. In 1576 he entered Gray’s Inn in London to study. laws, although a few months later he went to France as a member of a diplomatic mission. In 1579 , the sudden death of his father forced him to return hastily and resume his studies, lacking the resources to lead an independent life.

Trajectory

In 1582 he began to practice law, and was a magistrate four years later. In 1584 he obtained a seat in the House of Commons through his uncle, the Baron of Burghley, then Lord of the Treasury; For thirty-six years he remained a parliamentarian and was a member of almost all the important committees of the lower house. The protection of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, allowed him to access the position of Queen’s Counsel. His situation improved with the accession of James I, who appointed him attorney general in 1607 , crown prosecutor in 1613 and lord chancellor in 1618 , in addition to granting him the titles of Baron Verulam of Verulam and Viscount of St. Albans.

However, in 1621 , prosecuted for bribery and prevarication, he was removed from office and imprisoned. Although he was soon released, he never regained royal favor. Throughout his career he pursued coherent reform of the laws and keeping Parliament and the courts safe from the arbitrary incursions of rulers; but, above all, his objective was the reform of knowledge. His initial purpose was to write an immense “natural history”, which was to open the way to a new “inductive philosophy”, although the accumulation of public positions prevented him from carrying out the task he had set for himself, which, in fact, He was only able to fully dedicate himself to the last years of his life.

Knowledge

He subjected all the branches of human knowledge accepted in his time to review, classifying them according to the faculty of the mind (memory, reason or imagination) to which they belonged; He called this scheme “the great establishment,” and many of the scattered writings he produced, such as Advancement of Learning ( 1605 ) – later surpassed by De augmentis scientiarum – were intended as parts of a Instauratio magna final.

Literary work

It was proposed above all to reorganize the method of scientific study. He perceived that deductive reasoning stood out at the expense of inductive reasoning and believed that, by eliminating all preconceived notions of the world, man and his environment could and should be studied through detailed and controlled observations, making cautious generalizations. To do this, the study that the man of science makes of individuals must be carried out through observations that must be validated. Scientists must be above all skeptical and not accept explanations that cannot be proven by observation and sensible experience (empiricism).

Bacon’s writings fall into three categories: philosophical, literary and political. His best philosophical works are The Advancement of Knowledge ( 1605 ), and Novum Organum or Indications Relating to the Interpretation of Nature ( 1620 ). Bacon’s philosophy influenced the belief that people are both servants and interpreters of nature, that truth is not derived from authority, and that knowledge is the fruit primarily of experience. He is credited with having contributed the inductive experimental method to Logic, since previously induction was practiced through simple enumeration, that is, drawing general conclusions from particular data. Bacon’s method consisted of inferring from the use of analogy, from the characteristics or properties of the largest group to which the specific data belongs, leaving the correction of obvious errors for later experience.

This method represented a fundamental advance in the scientific method as it was very significant in improving scientific hypotheses. His Novum Organum greatly influenced the acceptance in science of precise observation and experimentation. In this work he maintained that all prejudices and preconceived attitudes had to be abandoned, which he called in Greek eidola or idols, whether they were the common property of the species due to common modes of thought (“Idola tribus”) or specific to the individual (“Idola tribus”). specus”); whether due to an excessive dependence on language (“Idola fori”) or tradition (“Idola teatri”).

The principles set out in Novum Organum were of great importance in the subsequent development of empiricism. As a writer, he is also responsible for the creation of the essay genre in English, with his Essays ( 1597 ), which follow in the footsteps of Montaigne, in which he shows an apparently little ornate style and great aphoristic capacity. In New Atlantis he offers the first technological utopia, where the rulers will be the scientists of the “House of Solomon”, a kind of great university where knowledge would be concentrated. He foresaw great scientific advances in his time such as flying machines, submarines and telecommunications.

Death

He died in London in 1626 , due to pneumonia.

Theories about occultism

Francis Bacon often met with other men at Gray’s Inn to discuss politics and philosophy, and to rehearse acts for plays he was writing. Bacon’s supposed connection with the Rosicrucians and Freemasonry has been widely discussed in numerous books by different authors and scholars. However, others, including Daphne du Maurier (in her biography of Bacon), have maintained that there is no substantial evidence to support the theory of his relationship with the Rosicrucians.

Frances Yates does not indicate that Bacon was a Rosicrucian, but nevertheless presents evidence that he was linked to some of the most closed intellectual movements of his time. She maintains that Bacon’s initiative in promoting teaching was closely linked to the German Rosicrucian movement, while in the work New Atlantis Bacon presents an earth that is governed by the Rosicrucians. He probably considered his movement to promote learning to be aligned with the ideals of the Rosicrucians. Francis Bacon’s influence is evident on a diverse set of religious and spiritual authors, and on groups who have used his writings in their own belief systems.

Bacon Quotes

• Friendship doubles the joys and divides the anguish in half.
• He who does not want to think is a fanatic; He who cannot think is an idiot; He who does not dare to think is a coward.
• If one begins with certainties, one will end with doubts; But if you accept to start with doubts, you will end with certainties.
• By taking revenge, one becomes equal to one’s enemy; Forgiving him, he shows himself superior to him.
• Some books are tasted, others devoured, very few chewed and digested.
• Money is like manure: it is no good unless it is spread.
• There is nothing that does more harm to a nation than when cunning people pass off as intelligent.
• Old wood to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.
• In matters of government, any change is suspect, even if it is for the better.
• The requirement for success is promptness in decisions.