Who is he: philosopher or scientist? Francis Bacon is a great thinker of the Renaissance of England. A versatile person who has changed many positions, has seen several countries and expressed more than one hundred clever thoughts that people still follow. The desire for knowledge and oratory abilities of Bacon from an early age played a major role in the reform of the philosophy of that time. In particular, the scholasticism and teachings of Aristotle, which were based on cultural and spiritual values, were refuted by the empiricist Francis in the name of science. Bacon argued that only scientific and technological progress can raise civilization and thereby enrich humanity spiritually.
Francis Bacon - Politics Biography
Bacon was born in London on January 22, 1561, in an organized English family. His father served at the court of Elizabeth I as the keeper of the royal seal. And his mother was the daughter of Anthony Cook, who raised King Edward VI. An educated woman who knows ancient Greek and Latin instilled in young Francis a love of knowledge. He grew up a smart and smart boy, with a great interest in science.
At age 12, Bacon entered the University of Cambridge. After his graduation, the philosopher travels a lot. The political, cultural and social life of France, Spain, Poland, Denmark, Germany and Sweden left their imprint in the notes “On the State of Europe” written by the thinker. After the death of his father, Bacon returned to his homeland.
Francis made his political career when King James I ascended the English throne. The philosopher was both the attorney general (1612), the keeper of the press (1617), and the Lord Chancellor (1618). However, a quick take-off ended in a rapid fall.
In the wake of life
In 1621, the Bacon was accused by the king of bribery, imprisoned (though for two days) and pardoned. Following this, Francis' career as a politician ended. All subsequent years of his life, he was engaged in science and experiments. The philosopher died in 1626 from a cold.
Bacon is the author of many works, including:
- "Experiments and Instructions" - 1597 - the first edition. Further, the book was supplemented and reprinted many times. The work consists of short essays and essays, where the thinker discusses politics and morality.
- "On the significance and success of knowledge, divine and human" - 1605
- "On the Wisdom of the Ancients" - 1609
- Descriptions of the intellectuals of the world.
- "On a high position, " in which the author spoke about the advantages and disadvantages of senior officials. “It’s hard to resist in a high place, but there is no turning back, except for a fall or at least a sunset …”
- "New Organon" - 1620 - a cult book of the time, dedicated to the classification of science, its methods and techniques.
- “On the Dignity and Advancement of Sciences” is the first part of the “Great Restoration of the Sciences, ” the most voluminous work of Bacon.
Phantom utopia or a look into the future?
Francis Bacon. "New Atlantis." Two terms in philosophy that can be considered synonyms. Although the work remained unfinished, it absorbed the entire worldview of its author.
The New Atlantis was published in 1627. Bacon takes the reader to a distant island where an ideal civilization thrives. All thanks to scientific and technological achievements unprecedented at that time. Bacon seemed to have looked into the future for hundreds of years, because in Atlantis you can learn about the microscope, the synthesis of living beings, and also about the cure for all diseases. In addition, it contains descriptions of various, not yet open, sound and auditory devices.
The island is led by a society uniting the country's main wise men. And if Bacon’s predecessors touched upon the problems of communism and socialism, then this work is completely technocratic in nature.
A look at life through the eyes of a philosopher
The founder of modern thinking is truly Francis Bacon. The philosopher of the thinker refutes scholastic teachings and puts science and knowledge in the first place. Knowing the laws of nature and turning them to their own good, a person is able not only to gain power, but also to grow spiritually.
Francis noted that all discoveries were made by accident, because few people knew the scientific methods and techniques. Bacon first attempted to classify science based on the properties of the mind: memory is history, imagination is poetry, reason is philosophy.
The main thing on the path to knowledge should be the inductive method and experience. Any research should begin with observation, not theory. Bacon believes that only the experiment for which the conditions, time and space, as well as circumstances are constantly changing, will be successful. Matter must be in motion all the time.
Francis Bacon. Empiricism
The scientist himself and his philosophy in the end result led to the emergence of such a concept as “empiricism”: knowledge lies through experience. Only with enough knowledge and experience can we count on the results in our activities.
Bacon identifies several ways to obtain knowledge:
- "Spider Way" - knowledge is obtained from pure reason, in a rational way. In other words, the web is woven from thoughts. Specific factors are not taken into account.
- "Way of the ant" - knowledge is gained through experience. Attention is concentrated only on the collection of facts and evidence. However, the essence remains incomprehensible.
- "The way of the bee" is an ideal way that combines the good qualities of both a spider and an ant, but at the same time is devoid of their shortcomings. Following this path, all facts and evidence must be passed through the prism of your thinking, through your mind. And only then will the truth be revealed.
Obstacles to Knowledge
It is not always easy to learn new things. Bacon speaks of ghost obstacles in his teachings. They are the ones that prevent you from adjusting your mind and thoughts. There are congenital and acquired obstacles.
Inborn: “ghosts of the clan” and “ghosts of a cave” - this is how the philosopher himself classifies them. "Ghosts of the gens" - human culture interferes with cognition. "Ghosts of the cave" - the influence of specific people interferes with cognition.
Acquired: "ghosts of the market" and "ghosts of the theater." The former imply the misuse of words and definitions. A person perceives everything literally, and this interferes with proper thinking. The second obstacle is the influence on the process of cognition of the existing philosophy. Only by renouncing the old can one comprehend the new. Based on the old experience, passing it through their thoughts, people are able to achieve success.
Great minds don't die
Some great people - centuries later - give birth to others. Bacon Francis is an expressionist artist of our time, as well as a distant descendant of a philosopher-thinker.
Francis the artist revered the works of his ancestor, he did everything possible to follow his instructions left in the "smart" books. Francis Bacon, whose biography ended not so long ago, in 1992, had a great influence on the world. And when the philosopher did this in words, then his distant grandson - in paints.
For his gay orientation, Francis Jr. was expelled from his home. Wandering around France and Germany, he successfully ended up at the Picasso painting exhibition in 1927. She had a huge impact on the guy. Bacon returns to his native London, where he acquires a small garage-workshop and begins to create.
Francis Bacon is considered one of the gloomy artists of our time. His paintings are vivid proof of this. Blurred, desperate faces and silhouettes depress, but at the same time make you think about the meaning of life. Indeed, in every person such blurred faces and roles that he uses for different occasions are hidden.
Despite its gloom, the paintings are very popular. The great connoisseur of Bacon’s art is Roman Abramovich. At the auction, he acquired the painting "Landmark of the canonical XX century" worth 86.3 million dollars!
The words of the thinker
Philosophy is an eternal science of eternal values. Everyone who is able to think a little is a “little” philosopher. Bacon wrote down his thoughts always and everywhere. And people use a lot of his quotes every day. Bacon surpassed even the greatness of Shakespeare. So contemporaries considered it.
Francis Bacon. Quotes on the note:
- Wandering along a straight road will outrun a runner who has gone astray.
- There is little friendship in the world - and least of all among equals.
- There is nothing worse than fear itself.
- The worst loneliness is not to have true friends.
- Stealth is the refuge of the weak.
- In the dark, all colors are the same.
- Hope is a good breakfast, but a bad dinner.
- Good is that which is useful to man, to humanity.
