Knowra Francis Bacon Francis Bacon Francis Bacon (1561–1626) was an English philosopher, statesman, and writer whose essays helped establish a concise, aphoristic style and whose works advocated systematic inquiry.
Essay : A short prose work that explores a subject through an author’s argument, observation, or reflection. Bacon’s concise pieces helped establish the essay as a flexible form of prose.
Novum Organum : Bacon’s 1620 work proposing a new method of inquiry based on observation, experiment, and controlled induction. It sets out his alternative to relying on inherited logic and authorities.
Essays (Bacon) : Francis Bacon’s collection of short prose pieces, first published in 1597 and expanded in later editions. These works demonstrate the compressed, aphoristic essay style associated with Bacon.
James I of England : King of England from 1603 to 1625 and king of Scotland as James VI from 1567. Bacon served the crown during James’s reign and received high political office.
Royal Society : An English scientific society founded in 1660 to promote natural knowledge through experiment and discussion. Its early members treated Bacon as a predecessor of organized, collaborative investigation.
Aphorism : A brief, memorable statement expressing a general observation or principle. Bacon’s essays compress arguments and observations into pointed, memorable sentences.
Idols of the Mind : Bacon’s name for recurring biases that distort human understanding and inquiry. His four classes of idols explain why observation alone does not guarantee sound judgment.
The Advancement of Learning : Bacon’s 1605 survey of knowledge that assessed its state and proposed areas for further inquiry. It presents his program for reorganizing and extending human learning.
William Shakespeare : An English playwright and poet whose works include Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear. Bacon’s name later became attached to unsupported claims that he secretly wrote Shakespeare’s plays.
Science and technology studies : An interdisciplinary field examining how scientific knowledge and technologies are shaped by social, political, and cultural conditions. Its historians reassess Bacon’s influence without treating him as the sole founder of modern science.
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