Francis Bacon
Definition
Francis Bacon was an English philosopher, statesman, scientist, and author who is known for promoting the scientific method during the Scientific Revolution in the 17th century.
Analogy
Think of Francis Bacon as a coach encouraging his team (the scientists) to change their game plan. Instead of relying on what past players (ancient philosophers) have said about how to play the game (understand nature), he urges them to observe and experiment with different strategies themselves.
Related terms
Scientific Method: A systematic procedure for collecting and analyzing evidence that was crucial to the evolution of science in the modern world.
Renaissance Humanism: An intellectual movement during the Renaissance that focused on human potential and achievements, it influenced Bacon's thoughts significantly.
Enlightenment: The age of reason in 18th-century Europe where intellectuals like Bacon emphasized reason, analysis, and individualism rather than traditional lines of authority.
"Francis Bacon" appears in:
Subjects (1)
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Practice Questions (5)
- Which text did Francis Bacon write promoting scientific method and empirical knowledge in the early modern period?
- How would history be different if Francis Bacon had not developed an empirical system based on observation and experiment?
- How was Francis Bacon’s empirical method influenced by global historical narratives of The Scientific Revolution?
- Which concept did Francis Bacon introduce that had significant influence on scientific method during Scientific Revolution?
- What if Francis Bacon had never developed his empiricist method?
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