Francis Bacon: The Temper of a Man, by Catherine Drinker Bowen
“The portrait Catherine Drinker Bowen paints of this controversial man, Francis Bacon (1561-1626), balances the outward life and actions of Bacon with the seemingly contradictory aspects of his refined philosophical reflections… Modern scholars hold Bacon's philosophical works, Novum Organum, Advancement of Learning, and The New Atlantis, as his greatest achievements. Bowen's story reveals a man whose genius it was not to immerse himself in the rigor of scientific experimentation, but to realize what questions science should ask, and thereby reach beyond the status quo and appeal to the wider imagination of his generation.”
The Baconian Method/Scientific Method
“The Baconian method is the investigative method developed by Sir Francis Bacon, one of the founders of modern science, and thus a first formulation of a modern scientific method. The method was put forward in Bacon's book Novum Organum (1620), or 'New Method', and was supposed to replace the methods put forward in Aristotle's Organon. This method was influential upon the development of the scientific method in modern science; but also more generally in the early modern rejection of medieval Aristotelianism… Bacon's method is an example of the application of inductive reasoning. However, Bacon's method of induction is much more complex than the essential inductive process of making generalizations from observations. Bacon's method begins with description of the requirements for making the careful, systematic observations necessary to produce quality facts. He then proceeds to use induction, the ability to generalize from a set of facts to one or more axioms. However, he stresses the necessity of not generalizing beyond what the facts truly demonstrate. The next step may be to gather additional data, or the researcher may use existing data and the new axioms to establish additional axioms. Specific types of facts can be particularly useful, such as negative instances, exceptional instances and data from experiments. The whole process is repeated in a stepwise fashion to build an increasingly complex base of knowledge, but one which is always supported by observed facts, or more generally speaking, empirical data. He argues in the Novum Organum that our only hope for building true knowledge is through this careful method.”
CloudBiography Video: Sir Francis Bacon Biography
“Francis Bacon served as attorney general and Lord Chancellor of England, resigning amid charges of corruption. His more valuable work was philosophical. Bacon took up Aristotelian ideas, arguing for an empirical, inductive approach, known as the scientific method, which is the foundation of modern scientific inquiry.”
Novum Organum, by Francis Bacon
“The Novum Organum… is a philosophical work by Francis Bacon, written in Latin and published in 1620. The title is a reference to Aristotle's work Organon, which was his treatise on logic and syllogism. In Novum Organum, Bacon details a new system of logic he believes to be superior to the old ways of syllogism. This is now known as the Baconian method. For Bacon, finding the essence of a thing was a simple process of reduction, and the use of inductive reasoning… The title page of Novum Organum depicts a galleon passing between the mythical Pillars of Hercules that stand either side of the Strait of Gibraltar, marking the exit from the well-charted waters of the Mediterranean into the Atlantic Ocean.”
Then & Now video: Francis Bacon – Introduction to the Philosophy of Induction
“An introduction to the philosophy of Francis Bacon, the father of empiricism. Bacon was born in London in 1561. He was an establishment figure born into one of the most powerful families in Britain. He as a member of the house of commons and the house of lords for 37 years, a lawyer, Attorney General, and a member of the Privy Council, the group who advises the monarch. He died of pneumonia after carrying out experiments with ice in 1626. He’s interested in the question of what is useful, practical, the pursuit of improving our place in the world. He thought that the scholastic philosophy taught at the time was dry, closed off, esoteric, at a dead end.”
The Essays, by Francis Bacon
“Along with Shakespeare's works, Bacon's Essays is the supreme achievement of the English Renaissance. Philosopher, statesman, author, Bacon made all knowledge his province, and in the Essays is to be found more worldly wisdom than in any other book.”
Hostage to Fortune: The Troubled Life of Francis Bacon, by Lisa Jardine and Alan Stewart
“This in-depth biography explores the internal contradictions of and (often self-generated) myths surrounding the 16th-17th century scholar and statesman. It follows Bacon's early political career, which ended in scandal, and his subsequent scientific investigations; discusses his private life… and claims that his death was caused by experimentation with opiates. The authors, both British scholars, have drawn on previously untapped archives for their research.”
Let’s Talk Philosophy video: Sir Francis Bacon
“In the 17th century Sir Francis Bacon stood at the very foundation of the scientific revolution and would introduce to it the scientific method that we have amended for our use in modern times. Many of his years were spent as a politician, but this was not to stop him from imposing his genius upon the philosophical and scientific world. Here in this video we explore his contributions to science and natural philosophy as well as many of his accomplishments achieved throughout his life.”
The Advancement of Learning, by Francis Bacon
“The Advancement of Learning is a 1605 book by Francis Bacon. It inspired the taxonomic structure of the highly influential Encyclopédie by Jean le Rond d'Alembert and Denis Diderot, and is credited by Bacon's biographer-essayist Catherine Drinker Bowen with being a pioneering essay in support of empirical philosophy. "
Statue of Sir Francis Bacon, Library of Congress, Washington, DC
“Sir Francis Bacon (1894–96), Library of Congress, Washington, D.C… John J. Boyle (1851, New York City – February 10, 1917, New York City) was an American sculptor. He studied at the Franklin Institute, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and École des Beaux-Arts. He married Elizabeth Carroll, in Philadelphia, in 1882. In 1910, he was elected into the National Academy of Design as an Associate member. Boyle died at his home in New York City in 1917.”
