Francis Bacon was an English philosopher and statesman (1561-1626). As a philosopher, he was a pioneer of empiricism with such works as “Novum Organum,” and also played a leading role in the scientific revolution. As a politician, he was so successful that he rose to the position of Lord Chancellor under King James I.
Bacon’s Life
Bacon was born in London, England, into a family of government officials. His father, Nicholas Bacon, served as Lord Keeper of the Seal. His mother’s cousin was Robert Cecil, Earl of Cecil, who held a prominent position at the English court.
Bacon studied at Trinity College, Cambridge University. At the same time, he was tutored by John Whitgift, who later became Archbishop of Canterbury. He read the classical antiquities writings of Cicero and Livy. He then went to Paris. But when his father died in 1579, he returned to London.
Public Activities
Bacon did not inherit much. Therefore, in order to establish an economic foundation, he decided to pursue a career in law and to advance into public office. In 1581, he was elected to the House of Commons. He also became a lawyer and was admitted to the Gray’s Inn in 1587.
Re
ligious Issues in England at the Time
As a member of the House of Commons, he tried to deal with the religious problems in England at that time. Religious situation of England was instable in the late 16th century. To begin with, Henry VIII converted England from a Catholic to a Protestant country in the first half of the 16th century. Later, when Mary I ascended to the throne, she returned England to a Catholic country and persecuted Protestants. Next came the accession of Elizabeth I, who again turned England into a Protestant country.
Elizabeth initially promoted a moderate and centrist religious policy. In the 1560s, neighboring Scotland also becme a Protestant country and came into conflict with its Catholic Queen Marie. Marie was a cousin of Elizabeth I. Marie was finally defeated by the Protestant lords of Scotland and exiled to England. For long, she was virtually imprisoned in England.
In the 1580s, England came into conflict with Spain, a powerful country at the time. King Felipe II of Spain was a self-confessed defender of Catholicism. He wanted to return England to a Catholic country like Mary I.
In the midst of all this, the imprisoned Queen Mary and the English Catholic nobility plotted a rebellion against Elizabeth I. This was put down. There was vigorous debate under the English monarchy over the treatment of Marie. In the end, Marie was executed. This was one of the reasons why Spain went to war with England. England won the Battle of the Armada and somehow overcame this crisis.
However, Catholic religious orders were sent to England despite the English decree of expulsion and continued their disturbing activities. At a time when Catholicism was becoming a major religious and political issue in England, Bacon was actively involved in this issue. For example, he worked as a supporter of the execution of Marie.
In the early 1590s, however, Bacon was abandoned by Elizabeth, and his political career suffered a setback. Along with his parliamentary activities, Bacon also developed an interest in scholarship. As a result, he focused on academic activities.
Success as a Politician
In 1603, Elizabeth I died. King James VI of Scotland ascended the throne as King James I of England. Therefore, Bacon began to appeal to James I for patronage. This was successful, and in 1604 he was appointed legal advisor and attended Parliament.
James I sought to unite England and Scotland. He also tried to adopt a moderate religious policy toward Catholics. Bacon worked hard in Parliament to achieve these goals.
After his accession to the throne, James I was often at odds with Parliament. The relationship between the King and Parliament and the common law was a point of contention. In 1613, Bacon was appointed Attorney General. In 1616, he became a member of the Privy Council in 1616. In 1617, he was appointed the Lord Keeper of the Seal, the same position as his father. In 1618, he finally rose to Lord Chancellor. He was also created Baron of Verulam in 1618.
Success as a scholar: “Novum Organum”
In addition to his political career, Bacon also devoted himself to research activities.: in 1605, he wrote “The Advancement of Learning,” which he dedicated to James I. In 1609, he wrote The Wisdom of the Ancients, which became a popular work.
In 1620, he published “Novum Organum”. This was the second work for academic renewal after “The Advancement of Learning,” and is known as Bacon’s principal work. Criticizing Aristotle’s deductive method, he proposed the experimental method and the inductive method. The book is also known for its theory of idola, such as the idola of the market and the idola of the theater. Bacon is considered the beginning of British empiricism.
Bacon’s portrait
Later years
In 1621, Bacon was punished by fines and deprivation of public office for a corruption case. This was orchestrated by his political opponents. Thus, he plummeted from power. He devoted himself to writing and died of illness in 1626.
Recommended or Selected References
Kaga, Hiroo and Shigeyuki Shin (eds.), The Multifaceted Development of Empiricism: From British Empiricism to Contemporary Pragmatism, Moe Shobo, 2021
Eiichi Ishii, Bacon, Shimizu Shoin, 2016
Anthony J. Funari, Francis Bacon and the seventeenth-century intellectual discourse, Springer, 2011