- "Thus the first reason for such pathetically small progress in the sciences is rightly and properly ascribed to the small amounts of time that have favoured them". (LXXVIII, p. 64).
- "And now another important and powerful reason why the sciences have made little progress revels itself. It is this: it is not possible to get around a racecourse properly if the finishing line is not properly set and fixed. The true and legitimate goal to the sciences is to endow human life with new discoveries and resources". (LXXXI, p. 66).
- "The problem has been wonderfully compounded by a certain opinion or judgement, which is deeply ingrained but arrogant and harmful, namely that the majesty of the human mind is diminished if it is too long and too deeply involved with experiment". (LXXXIII, p.68).
In class we learned that Bacon has a more optimistic view towards the benefits of science to society. His reasoning behind suggesting that science is not to be viewed as a damaging entity to our natural and human world is because the scientific principles and particulars that people have become familiar with through the process of experimentation, at that time, have divorced society from the true principles that are sought and found solely through humble experience. Because for Bacon, any progression rather it be scientific, economic, theologic, etc. should strive for the humble goal of charitable ends for the uses and benefits of all life. In doing so, Bacon calls for a divorce from the general principles around us that has led to the progressive experimentation in which molded, confined, and harassed nature into the abusive perspective we have continued to share for now six centuries since Bacon's death. Obviously, his plan didnt play out just as well as he had hoped.
Today I see an even worse damaging entity than Bacon's perspective towards the scientific harassment of nature through experimentation. The role of nature has transformed from a means to a beneficial end in regards to the progression of knowledge and understanding to now a means to attempting to sustain a society which has been blessed with such previously discovered knowledge and unserstanding. Because of all the experimentation and scientific progress we have made, now we must sustain it to enable us to enjoy and build upon it. Nature in its present state does not have much more available resources to sustain us for the next granted century but how can it sustain us for an even greater leap in understanding and knowledge. Bacon would agree that so far progression entails the increase in knowledge and understanding of our surroundings, rather it be technological, scientific, theologic, or whatever. This finish line to knowledge may not exist, but the means to that knowledge is nature and nature's finish line certainly exists. That is why Bacon insists on experience rather than experimentation. Rather than pushing for a better understanding of something, just experience it and rely on the chance of luck that a new discovery will reveal itself to you.
Do you think that Bacon would agree that there is no finish line to our progression besides the means in which we use to seek it, that being nature? Do you think that maybe experimentation is not all that bad and could even help in regards to our diminishing natural world?
I think Bacon agrees that there really is no "finish line" to our progression; with the right tools, any limits can really be overcome. However, I don't think he was referring to the limits of nature and of science in the passage, but rather that the end goal of science was the advancement and good of the human race, rather than just acquiring knowledge for its own sake. This has dangerous implications for nature itself and implies that humans must perform science only to achieve their goals (and does not speak of the goals or protection of nature or resources). I disagree with Bacon in his views of experimentation; I think that in science, one must experiment in order to make new discoveries. Observing can also yield much knowledge but it is through experimentation that the theories and information of most importance is usually found.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Bacon would agree there is no necessary finish line to the progression of mankind. I would go so far to say that he believes that we have no real limit in our ability to develop as a society as long as we continue to understand our world. Although I personally do wonder if such a point exists where mankind will not be able to continue to develop, although it is difficult to make such a prediction as it is hard to predict how society will develop in ten years let alone what developments will be made in one year. I do not think experimentation is at all bad, I think that it is definitely an important way of gaining knowledge and is sometimes necessary in order to acquire that knowledge. I think that not only experimentation but new knowledge as well has the capability of diminishing the so-called "natural world."
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