The novum organum scientiarum : in two parts / By Francis Bacon ... Carefully corrected, and the Latin part translated into English, with an appendix, by Dr. Shaw.

  • Bacon, Francis, 1561-1626.
Date:
1813
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The novum organum scientiarum : in two parts / By Francis Bacon ... Carefully corrected, and the Latin part translated into English, with an appendix, by Dr. Shaw. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    a short stay here, it disdains experience ; and these mlschiefs are afc length increased by logia, for the ostentation of dispute.* * * § 21. The understanding being left to itself, in a sober, patient, and sedate genius, and especially if unprejudictd by any former doctrine, will make some attempt in the second or right way, but to little ad- vantage ; for, uuless regulated and assisted, the understanding is here very unequal, and absolutely unfit to conquer the obscurity of things. 22. Both these ways begin with sense and particulars, and end in the most gerierai principies; but they otherwise differ immensely. The one lightly passes over experience and particulars, which the other duly and orderly dwells oii ; the former constitutes certain ab- stract and useless generals from the begfnning, but the latter rises gradually to such as nature really acknowkdges.f 23. There is a wide difference betwixt the idols of the humau mind, and the ideas of the divine mind ; that is, betwixt certain vain conceits, and the real characters and ioipressions stamped upon the creatures, as they are fuund.J 24. It is impossible that Axioms, raised by argumantation, should be ustlul in discovering new works, because the subtilty of nature vastly exceeds the subtilty of argument:j| but Axioms, duly and me- thodicaliy elrawn from particulars, will again easily point out qew par- ticulars, and so render the Sciences &ctive.§ -25. The Axioms in use, being derived from slender experience, and a few obvious particulars, are generally applied in a corresponding inaniter ; no wonder, therefore, they lead us not to new particulars. And if any instance unobserved before happens to turn up, the Axioni is preserved by some trifling distinctiori, where it ought rather to be corrected.** 26. The natural human reasoning, we, for the sake of clearness, call the anticipation of nature, as being a rash and hasty thing ;ff and the reason duly exercised upon objects, we call the iuterpretation of na- ture. 27. This anticipation has force enough to procure consent for, if ali maukind were mad, in one and the same mauner, they might stili agree among themselVes. * There is scarcely a more pewticious thing to philosophy, than the common prac- tice. of disputing with heat, and a hasty turbulent useJot syllogism. These kind of captious and sophistical contests are as the ftversof the reason. f That is, such as men may safely procecd upon, in producing effects ; for, being drawn from nature, they readily find the way to nature again, and in this sense are ac- Inowledged by her as her ovvn. + See above,Aph. 10. Astronnmers distinguish betwixt the real and apparentmotions of the heavens ; the one being respective to man, and the other to the truth ; or sup- posing an observer seated in the centre of the system. This may, perhaps, illustrate the present Aphorism. , |1 To depend upon argumentation, or the common method of reasoning, in physica! inquiries, is working only with words and thoughts, where manual operations and ex» periments are required. § See above, Aph 22. Has not this been generally the case, from the time of Aristotlcto the present ? •f-f Sec above, Aph. 20. See also Introduction, § 3. JJ Is it not also the chief spring of human actions ?
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