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Bacon and the Empiricists
Daniela Rölz & Isabel von PloetzSoSe 2004Innovation, change and decision-making in international organisations
Bacon and the Empiricists
Francis Bacon, Life and political career Bacon‘s new directions - Empiricism - The New Organon The Idea of Progress - The Advancement of Learning Bacon‘s science falls on hard times Other empiricists: Locke, Hobbes Conclusion Discussion
Bacon and the Empiricists
Francis Bacon, Life and political career Bacon‘s new directions - Empiricism - The New Organon The Idea of Progress - The Advancement of Learning Bacon‘s science falls on hard times Other empiricists: Locke, Hobbes Conclusion Discussion
Francis Bacon (1561-1626)
Life & Political Career
1561 Sir Francis Bacon was born in London
1573 entered Trinity College in Cambridge
1584 elected to Parliament 1601 plot to kidnap Queen
Elizabeth I
Life & Political Career
1603 James I became king 1604 Appointed King’s Counsel 1618 Made Lord Chancellor 1621 charged with bribery and
prohibited from sitting in parliament 1626 Francis Bacon died
Bacon and the Empiricists
Francis Bacon, Life and political career Bacon‘s new directions - Empiricism - The New Organon The Idea of Progress - The Advancement of Learning Bacon‘s science falls on hard times Other empiricists: Locke, Hobbes Conclusion Discussion
Empiricism
Philosophical movement in the 18th century.
All knowledge comes from experience ↔ Rationalism (17th century): knowledge
comes from concepts known instinctively through reason; concepts = innate ideas (Descartes)
Empiricists: Francis Bacon, John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, George Berkeley
Bacon`s new directions
Bacon is often thought as the originator of Modern Empiricism.
He wrote a radical new way for discovering truth.
people shouldn’t use the theories they had inherited
Bacon`s new directions
He was opposed to theories that come before the facts
We should start with observations and build our theories upon them
build knowledge on experience knowledge shouldn't be built on little
or unsystematic experience
The New Organon (1620)
„Novum Organum“ or „True Directions for the Interpretation of Nature“
the Greek word organon means “instrument” or “tool”
new instrument for guiding and correcting the mind in its search for a true understanding of nature
Aphorism = short saying, referred just to the way he wrote
The Idols “idols” are characteristic errors, natural
tendencies or defects of the mind prevent the mind from achieving a full and
accurate understanding of nature “idol” derives from the Greek word eidolon
(which means “image” or “phantom”) According to Bacon: Idols = prejudices of the
mind they prevent a successful study of natural
phenomena
1. Idols of tribe
o prejudices arising from human nature o natural weaknesses like the senses
(which are inherently dull and easily deceivable)
o Bacon: we tend to find regularity where there is actually randomness, etc.
o tendency towards “wishful thinking.”o natural preference to accept, believe,
and even prove what we would prefer to be true
o tendency to rush into conclusions, instead of collecting evidence
2. Idols of cave
o prejudices coming from psychic condition of the human soul
o vary from individual to individual (unlike idols of tribe)
o referring to our culture o reflect prejudices and beliefs that we have
because of our cultural background (different family backgrounds, childhood experiences, education, training, gender, religion, social class, etc.)
3. Idols of marketplace
prejudices resulting from social relationships
hindrances to clear thinking main culprit = language (not only
common speech, but also special discourses, vocabularies)
two types: names of things that do not exist faulty, vague or misleading names for things
that do exist (abstract qualities and value terms such as “moist” or “useful,”)
can be a source of confusion
4. The Idols of the Theatre
prejudices deriving from false philosophical systems
rather culturally acquired than inborn (like idols of cave)
metaphor of a theatre suggests artificial imitation of truth
Bacon: idols derive mainly from schemes or systems of philosophy (Sophistical, Empirical, Superstitious P.)
Induction
o opposite: Deduction Drawing a particular conclusion from a general premises
o Induction: Drawing a conclusion based on your own experience
propositions: axiom: maxim
Induction (2)
problem: general axioms prove false, all the intermediate axioms may be false as well
Bacon: step by step from one axiom to another, so that the most general is not reached till the last each axiom = step up on “the ladder of intellect”
Induction (3)
Bacon: Induction is a lot more secure and scientific than deduction
necessary tool for the proper interpretation of nature
differs from the classic induction of Aristotle and other logicians: they always wanted to draw general
conclusions as soon as possible general conclusion = basis for further work
Bacon and the Empiricists
Francis Bacon, Life and political career Bacon‘s new directions - Empiricism - The New Organon The Idea of Progress - The Advancement of Learning Bacon‘s science falls on hard times Other empiricists: Locke, Hobbes Conclusion Discussion
The Idea of Progress
1605 “The Advancement of Learning” – first important philosophical work
3 Distempers of Learning:fantastical learningcontentious learningdelicate learning
The Idea of Progress
Fantastical learning:Could be called “pseudo-
science”Lack of real and substantial
foundationProfessed by occultists and
charlatans
The Idea of Progress
Contentious Learning:Criticized Aristotelian
philosophyAim: not new knowledge or
deeper understanding, but endless debates
The Idea of Progress
Delicate Learning:according to the revival of
Ciceronian rhetorical embellishment
criticized preoccupation with words and style
The Idea of Progress
Expanded version of the Advancement 3 categories for a new division of human
knowledge: History Poesy Philosophy
Prestige of Philosophy had to be elevated, while that of history and literature
(humanism) needed to be reduced.
Bacon and the Empiricists
Francis Bacon, Life and political career Bacon‘s new directions - Empiricism - The New Organon The Idea of Progress - The Advancement of Learning Bacon‘s science falls on hard times Other empiricists: Locke, Hobbes Conclusion Discussion
Bacon‘s science falls on hard times
Reference to the past (literary and philosophical)
Latin was universal language of philosophy
Since 1860 translation of his works in English
Bacon’s theory lost it’s semiotic foundation
Bacon and the Empiricists
Francis Bacon, Life and political career Bacon‘s new directions - Empiricism - The New Organon The Idea of Progress - The Advancement of Learning Bacon‘s science falls on hard times Other empiricists: Locke, Hobbes Conclusion Discussion
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)
Thomas Hobbes
He helped Bacon to write down his ideas, when Bacons‘ infirmities prevented him from doing it for himself.
After Bacon‘s death, he presented a theory of social science
based on careful observation Baconian method of science
John Locke (1632-1704)
John Locke
Essay ”Concerning Human Understanding” (1690)
He was the first to give a logic for Empiricism.
Main interest: illuminating knowledge and examining its validity
Locke: attempt to prove everything by nature and fact (like Bacon)
John Locke
He denied that there are innate ideas. Human intellect = clean sheet of
paper Everything which is written on it, takes
its origin from experience Experience: external (sensation) and
internal (reflection)
Bacon and the Empiricists
Francis Bacon, Life and political career Bacon‘s new directions - Empiricism - The New Organon The Idea of Progress - The Advancement of Learning Bacon‘s science falls on hard times Other empiricists: Locke, Hobbes Conclusion Discussion
Conclusion and Cultural Legacy
“Universal Genius” political statesman and practical
visionary Many admirers (Kant, Voltaire) controversial: Bacon’s view that
nature exists mainly for human use and benefit
Bacon and the Empiricists
Francis Bacon, Life and political career Bacon‘s new directions - Empiricism - The New Organon The Idea of Progress - The Advancement of Learning Bacon‘s science falls on hard times Other empiricists: Locke, Hobbes Conclusion Discussion
Discussion
QUESTIONS???
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