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Bacon in Forest of Forests, published in 1624. Bacon recorded "anticipations" of scientific results he felt would come from appli- cation of his methods in On Origins (1621). He described in The New Atlantis (1624) the basis of a new society that would emerge as a result of applying these principles. Magna Instauratio (the Great Reconstruction) was inspired by the vision Bacon had in his youth, and was an Herculean task without precedent in the history of thought. As Bacon stated in the preface to Magna Instauratio: and I...am labouring to lay the foundation not of any sect or doctrine, but of utility and power... Knowledge is power, not mere argument or ornament. founders named Bacon as their model and inspiration. The great minds of the French Enlightenment dedicated their masterpiece, Cyclopédie, to Francis Bacon. The French Enlightenment philosopher Diderot (1713-1784) said of Bacon: That extraordinary genius, when it was impossible to write a history of what was known, wrote one of what it was neces - sary to learn. Will Durant stated in The Story of Philosophy: The whole tenor and career of British thought have followed the philosophy of Bacon. The inductive method...gave John Locke the idea of an empirical psychology, bound by obser - vation and freed from theology and metaphysics; and his emphasis on "commodities" and "fruits" found formulation in [Jeremy] Bentham's identification of the useful and the good." stove In The Advancement of Learning, Bacon suggested that all vation and freed from theology and metaphysics; ‘and his areas of life—medicine, psychology, even dreams, predictions emphasis on "commodities" and "fruits" found formulation in and other occult phenomena—had rational rules and an empirical [Jeremy] Bentham's identification of the useful and the basis, yet he went full circle at the end of this survey, concluding good." that science needs to be guided by philosophy. Bacon applied this to politics, for he saw that the pursuit of politics becomes a The political reformer Edmund Burke was also greatly influ- destructive bedlam when divorced from science and philosophy, enced by the Lord Chancellor: or, in other words, from rationality and higher goals. Genius the most profound, of literature the most extensive, of So Bacon suggested the organisation of science itself, of com- discovery the most penetrating, of observation of human life munication between centres of learning to share research and the most distinguished and refined." resources, and of royal patronage of the sciences. As a direct result, the Thomas Jefferson was also pro- Royal Society was later formed, with foundly influenced by Bacon's the financial support of the Crown. writings. Jefferson thought that in Novum Organum represents the his founding the United States he summit of Francis Bacon's open was fulfilling Bacon's dreams as works. It introduced a new method | Under the pen-name Shakespeare, summarised in The New Atlantis. of logic to learning, to replace the Biographer Hepworth Dixon old ways which had borne so little Bacon had the most significant summarised the contribution that fruit. effect on English literature of any Bacon's open works have made to Bacon pointed to errors in thought . . . our world: that had to be corrected in order for single person In history. The obligations of the world humanity to advance. Firstly, Bacon to Francis Bacon are of a kind said that experience of the world that cannot be overlooked. Every man who rides ina train, who sends a telegram, who follows a steam plough, who sits in an easy chair, who crosses the channel or the Atlantic, who eats a good dinner, who enjoys a beautiful gar - den, or undergoes a painless surgical operation, owes him should have primacy, not the realities or misconceptions held in the minds of men, and that observation should be the cornerstone of scientific method. Secondly, he observed that different people look at the same experience in different ways, filtering reality to suit their present state without seeing what is really there. Thirdly, Bacon something. saw the inappropriate and careless use of language as an enemy to ...the patriot, the statesman, the law reformer, the scientific true understanding. Lastly, Bacon saw errors in looking at the jurist, the historian, the collector of anecdote, the lover of world through the eyes of other philosophers. good wit, of humorous wisdom and of noble writing, also owes Francis Bacon went on to explain the scientific method of him something."* enquiry: that of experimentation and observation. He noted that by accumulating data one can arrive at the form or essence of a A guiding spirit behind the schemes of Raleigh and others to set phenomenon. fledgling colonies on an untamed continent, Francis Bacon was The modern secular age of science was foreshadowed in The tireless in lobbying the King and his fellow countrymen to explore New Atlantis, the story of an island utopia in the Pacific where and colonise America. science prevailed over ignorance and superstition in all spheres of Under the pen-name Shakespeare, Bacon had the most signifi- human life. Politically, the island had no elections, no ruler; just a cant effect on English literature of any single person in history. learned council of men who had proven themselves by scientific He literally recreated the entire English language and wrote achievement; in other words, a government without politicians. arguably the greatest literary works of the Western world. Most of the time these 'rulers' were engaged in trying to control It is without precedent that one man could achieve so much in Nature rather than their fellow man. one life, but Francis Bacon can be credited with laying the The political reformer Edmund Burke was also greatly influ- enced by the Lord Chancellor: Genius the most profound, of literature the most extensive, of discovery the most penetrating, of observation of human life the most distinguished and refined." A guiding spirit behind the schemes of Raleigh and others to set fledgling colonies on an untamed continent, Francis Bacon was tireless in lobbying the King and his fellow countrymen to explore and colonise America. Under the pen-name Shakespeare, Bacon had the most signifi- cant effect on English literature of any single person in history. He literally recreated the entire English language and wrote arguably the greatest literary works of the Western world. It is without precedent that one man could achieve so much in one life, but Francis Bacon can be credited with laying the groundwork for our modern age of reason, science and liberty in the West. THE FUTURE OF LIBERTY Bacon effectively laid the foundation for a new age of secular wisdom. When the Royal Society was formed in 1662, the 58 + NEXUS JUNE - JULY 1997 single person in history. Continued on page 84