Sir Francis Bacon

Presentation by:Peter. Cao Minh Hoang.sds

Sir Francis Bacon

General Notions Francis Bacon was a man who was

brilliant in many ways: as a scientist, as a philosopher, and as an enthusiastic innovator in the methods of science, which he considered to be means for establishing the dominion of man on earth ("regnum hominis").

Bacon is remembered mostly for having worked out the inductive method.

He began with such phenomena of nature, but he intended to go beyond the phenomenal data, to reach knowledge of the form.

Nature and form are terms that recall to mind the metaphysics of Aristotelio-Scholasticism. But, as used by Bacon, these terms have a different meaning:

Natures are the natural phenomena of heat, sound, light, or of any other actual object of the investigations of physical science

Forms are the immanent laws of these natures.

The metaphysical support for these natures and forms is not treated by Bacon.

Therefore, the differences between phenomena depend upon nothing more than the different positions of atoms regulated by movement.

It seems, however, that Bacon did not realize the phenomenalistic consequences of his method, and hence could still affirm that the traditional metaphysical world exists alongside his phenomenal world.

The later philosophers of Empiricism showed that this is an untenable position, and concluded that all reality is pure phenomenon

Bacon is well known for his treatises on empiricist natural philosophy (The Advancement of Learning, Novum Organum Scientiarum) and for his doctrine of the idols, which he put forward in his early writings.

Life and WorksFrancis Bacon was born January, 22,

1561. He studied at Cambridge. After having spent some time in France, he returned to his native land and with the favor, first of Queen Elizabeth.

During (1561–1626) he was one of the leading figures in natural philosophy and in the field of scientific methodology in the period of transition from the Renaissance to the early modern era.

Right from the beginning of his adult life, Bacon aimed at a revision of natural philosophy and – following his father's example – also tried to secure high political office.

He tried to formulate outlines for a new system of the sciences, emphasizing empirical methods and laying the foundation for an applied science (scientia operativa).

His principal work is Instauratio magna scientiarum (The Great Restoration of Learning), which was intended to embrace the entire field of knowables, both theoretical and practical.

But of this vast work he finished only the first and second parts: De degnitate et augmentis scientiarum (Of the Proficience and Advancement of Learning), and Novum organum scientiarum (New Organ of Learning).

Accused of bribery and corruption during this same year, he was tried and condemned to prison. After receiving the King's pardon, he retired to private live and dedicated himself completely to his studies until the time of his death in 1626.

He died in April 1626 of pneumonia after experiments with ice.

"Instauratio Magna "Instauratio Magna, as a foundation for

the reconstruction of the sciences in order to produce physical and metaphysical knowledge.

Nature in this context is studied under experimental conditions, not only in the sense of the history of bodies, but also as a history of virtues or original passions, which refer to the desires of matter

He was also a contemporary of Galileo and Descartes, witnessed the first conquests of modern science, the first inventions, the entry of England into the ranks of the great nations. He became a most enthusiastic admirer of science.

For Bacon, knowledge is power, and man's capacity to act is in proportion to his knowledge.

Science is not theoretical and speculative, but practical. It was to lead man to the discovery of the realm of nature, and to allow him to establish over it the "regnum hominis," the dominion of man.

But before man could dominate nature, he had to obey her. He had to enter into her realm as a child who listens in order to learn.

Only after he knows what nature contains can he become her master.

For the new science, a new way is necessary -- a new organ ("novum organum") -- through which discoveries will not be the work of chance, as in the past, but the result of systematic experiments.

Thus an "instauratio ab imis fundamentis" of all human knowledge is necessary -- a restoration of human knowledge beginning at the root of things, as a means of discovering the hidden possibilities of nature.

"Novum organum"

Novum Organum, I, Aphorism ends the “pulling down” of “the signs and causes of the errors” within the sciences, achieved by means of three refutations.

Which constituted the condition for a rational introduction of method: refutation of “natural human reason” (idols); refutation of “demonstrations” (syllogisms) and refutation of “theories” (traditional philosophical systems).

Bacon's inductive method, which he sets forth in his Novum organum, is composed of two parts: the negative process ("pars destruens") and the positive process ("pars construens").

This method is in opposition to the Organon of Aristotle, which was considered old because it is an instrument of the deductive-syllogistic method.

Bacon introduces also his famous doctrine of the “idols.” These are characteristic errors, natural tendencies, or defects that beset the mind and prevent it from achieving a full and accurate understanding of nature.

Bacon points out that recognizing and counteracting the idols is as important to the study of nature as the recognition and refutation of bad arguments is to logic.

Bacon's doctrine of the idols not only represents a stage in the history of theories of error, but also functions as an important theoretical element within the rise of modern empiricism.

Accdg. to Bacon, the human mind is not a tabula rasa. Instead of an ideal plane for receiving an image of the world in toto, it is a crooked mirror, on account of implicit distortions.

Idols are productions of the human imagination (caused by the crooked mirror of the human mind) and thus are nothing more than “untested generalities” (Malherbe, 1996, 80).

he uses the word “idol” – from the Greek eidolon (“image” or “phantom”) – not in the sense of a false god or heathen deity but rather in the sense employed in Epicurean physics.

Human knowledge:According to Bacon the division of human learning is

derived from the threefold faculties of rational soul:1.Taking memory. (he assigned history to memory)2.Imagination (poetry to imagination)3.Reason.(reason to philosophy) But philosophy falls into three main divisions: God-

nature and man.1.The first division concerned with God is natural or

rational theology. It does not comprise ‘inspired or sacred theology which is the results of God’s revelation rather man’s reasoning. Revealed theology is indeed the heaven and Sabbath of all human contemplation. It is province of knowledge but standing outside philosophy.

2. THE PHILOSOPHY OF NATURE: Bacon divided into speculative and operative

natural philosophy.• Speculative natural philosophy is

subdivided into physics and metaphysics. Metaphysic is a part of natural philosophy must be distinguished. And to understand the difference between metaphysic and physic we have to find in the types of causes:

• Physics treat of efficient and material causes.

• Metaphysics treat of formal and final causes.

One is naturally tempted to interpret that all this in Aristotelian terms and think that Bacon simply continuing the Aristotelian doctrine of the causes, this would be mistake. Bacon said that his reader should not suppose that because he use the traditional term he was employing in traditional sense.

By ‘form’ the object of metaphysics, he meant what he called ‘fixed law”, the form of heat is the law of heat.

There is no radical division between Physics and metaphysics. For physics start with examining specific types of matter or bodies in the restricted field of causality and activity. But it goes on to consider more general law. We seek to learn the law of nature with a view to increasing human control over body .

Operative natural philosophy: it is the application of the former and falls into two parts:

• Mechanics: is the application of physics in practice.

• Magic: is applied metaphysic. • Here by magic he does not mean that the

superstitious and frivolous magic which is different from true magic as the chronicles about king Arthur are different from Caesar’s commentaries he means the practical application of the science of ‘hidden form’ or law.

Man:The third part of philosophy is the part

dealing with man. It comprises philosphia humanitatis ( or anthropology) and philosophia civilis (or political philosophy).

The former treats first of human body and is subdivided into medicine, cosmetic, athletics….

Secondly treats of human soul through the nature of the rational, divinely created and immortal soul as distinct from the sensitive soul as subject which belongs to theology rather than philosophy.

The later is able to establish the fact that man possesses faculties which transcend the power of matter.

Finally, philosophia civilis: considering the good which accrues to man from civil society. And is divided into three parts

1.Doctrina de conversatione: considers the good comes to man from association with his fellow.

2.Doctrina de negotiis: considers the help of man receives from society in his practice affair.

3.Doctrina de imperio sive republica: considers the protection from injury which he obtains through Government.

In short, Bacon said that ‘ knowledge and human power come to the same thing, for nature cannot be conquered except by obeying her; the purpose of the science is the extention of the dominion of the human race over nature, we cannot obtain effects without an accurate knowledge of causes. The science which man now possesses are useless for obtaining practical effects and our present logic is useless for the purpose establishing science.

There are two way of seeking and finding the truth:

First. The mind may proceed from the sense and from perception of particulars to the most general axioms and from that deduce the less general propositions. Secondly it may proceed from sense and the perception of particulars to immediately to attainable axioms and thence gradually and patiently to more general axioms (301)

Fours idols of the mindFor Bacon human thinking is corrupted by

the idols and he identifies four different classes of idol. Each arises from a different source, and each presents its own special hazards and difficulties.

1. The Idols of the Tribe. These are the natural weaknesses and tendencies common to human nature.

Example, our senses – which are inherently dull and easily deceivable.

2. The Idols of the Cave. Unlike the idols of the tribe, which are common to all human beings, those of the cave vary from individual to individual.

Special allegiance to a particular discipline or theory.

High esteem for a few select authorities.

3. The Idols of the Market Place. These are hindrances to clear thinking that arise, Bacon says, from the “intercourse and association of men with each other.”

These are derived from social relationships and above all from the use of a common language.

4. The Idols of the Theatre. Like the idols of the cave, those of the theatre are culturally acquired rather than innate.

These are errors coming from false philosophical systems which, like the fables of the theater, are simply fantastic.

The idols of the theatre thus have their origin in dogmatic philosophy or in wrong laws of demonstration.

Inductive method.Because the human knowledge can be distorted by

the Idols above. So Bacon give pointed out a new method for acquiring knowledge. In order to penetrate into the inner and further recesses of nature.

He said we need to derive our notion from things in more sure and guarded way. This way would include ourselves of prejudice and looking as thing as they are.

To assist our observation we need to correct our errors- not so much in instrument as by experiments.

For subtlety of experiment is far greater than that of sense itself.

Bacon’s concept of experiment and his method of observation rests on the notion of induction.

Induction derives laws from the simple observation of particular and their series order.

The alternative view, which he harshly criticized was Aristotle deductive method.

The mind, liberated from all errors, can undertake its positive work, the interpretation of nature (phenomena); that is to say, it can come to the knowledge of forms, of the laws regulating such natures.

This constructive process of Bacon's method ("pars construens") is set up in three different types of tables:

1. The table of presence ("tabula praesentiae") lists all the cases wherein the phenomenon exists whose formal cause is sought: for instance, heat, which appears to be present in fire, in the sun, etc.

2. The table of absence ("tabula absentiae") lists all the cases in which the phenomenon under analysis does not appear to be present: there is no heat in the light of the stars, of the moon, etc.

3. The table of degrees ("tabula graduum") lists the increase and decrease of the given phenomenon in one object or in different objects.

This third table, by leading to knowledge of the law of movement of the phenomenon, should bring us to know the formal cause (law) of the phenomenon itself.

These are the principles, both positive and negative, which Bacon proposes as the basis of modern science and which should lead man to conscious discoveries and, hence to domination over nature.