Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon was born on the 22nd of January 1561 at York House near Strand in London. He entered Trinity College at the University of Cambridge on the 5th of April 1573 at the age of twelve. His education followed the medieval curriculum and was conducted largely in Latin. He lived there for three years alongside his older brother Anthony Bacon under the personal tutelage of John Whitgift, who later became Archbishop of Canterbury. The young student impressed Queen Elizabeth I with his precocious intellect during a meeting at the college. She began calling him "The young lord keeper" to reflect her recognition of his future potential. This early academic environment shaped his belief that existing scientific methods were erroneous and argumentative.
Bacon entered Gray's Inn on the 27th of June 1576 as part of de societate magistrorum. He worked quietly at the inn until he was admitted as an outer barrister in 1582. His parliamentary career began when he was elected MP for Bossiney, Cornwall, in a by-election in 1581. He took seats for Melcombe in Dorset in 1584 and for Taunton in 1586. In 1589, he received the valuable appointment of reversion to the Clerkship of the Star Chamber, which generated an annual rent of £46. By 1593, he sat for Middlesex and later represented Ipswich multiple times between 1597 and 1604. He became known as a liberal-minded reformer who spoke against religious persecution and struck at the House of Lords regarding Money Bills. Bacon also advocated for the union of England and Scotland to bring greater peace and strength to these countries.
Bacon's public career ended in disgrace in 1621 after a parliamentary committee charged him with 23 separate counts of corruption. His lifelong enemy Sir Edward Coke instigated these accusations and prepared the charges against the chancellor. To the lords, he replied "My lords, it is my act, my hand, and my heart; I beseech your lordships to be merciful to a broken reed." He was sentenced to a fine of £40,000 and committed to the Tower of London at the king's pleasure. The imprisonment lasted only a few days before the fine was remitted by King James I. Parliament declared Bacon incapable of holding future office or sitting in parliament. He narrowly escaped undergoing degradation which would have stripped him of his titles of nobility. Some authors speculate that he may even have been blackmailed into confession with a threat to charge him with sodomy.
Bacon argued for scientific knowledge based only upon inductive reasoning and careful observation of events in nature. He believed science could be achieved through a sceptical and methodical approach where scientists aim to avoid misleading themselves. In Novum Organum, he stated there are two ways of searching into truth: one flies from senses to general axioms while the other derives axioms from senses and particulars. He called the latter the true way but noted it remained untried until his time. Experimentation became essential to discovering truths about Nature according to his philosophy. Bacon described evidence as proof revealed through taking specific examples from nature and expanding them into general claims. His belief in experimentally-derived data meant all necessary knowledge could be attained using induction rather than deduction.
In 1613, Bacon identified the scope of torture as a means to further investigation of threats to the state in a letter addressed to King James I. He wrote "In the cases of treasons, torture is used for discovery, and not for evidence." As Attorney General, Bacon obtained conviction of Edmund Peacham for treason through zealous efforts that included torture. During both Elizabeth I's and James I's reigns, Bacon was listed as a commissioner on five torture warrants. Harvey Wheeler attributed to Bacon the creation of distinguishing features of the modern common law system including using cases as repositories of evidence about unwritten law. Some juries still declared the law rather than facts as late as the 18th century before Sir Matthew Hale explained modern adjudication procedure acknowledging Bacon as inventor of discovering unwritten laws from evidences of their applications.
The Baconian hypothesis of Shakespearean authorship first proposed in the mid-19th century contends that Francis Bacon wrote some or even all plays conventionally attributed to William Shakespeare. This theory remains a fringe position among scholars today despite its historical popularity. Bacon often gathered with men at Gray's Inn to discuss politics and philosophy while trying out various theatrical scenes he admitted writing. Frances Yates presented evidence that his movement for advancement of learning was closely connected with German Rosicrucian movement ideas. However, others like Daphne du Maurier argued there is no substantive evidence supporting claims of involvement with Rosicrucians or Freemasons. The debate continues regarding whether Bacon personally identified as a Rosicrucian or merely drew upon magical ideas when developing experimental methods.
On the 9th of April 1626, Bacon died of pneumonia at Highgate outside London specifically at Arundel House. An influential account given by John Aubrey portrays him journeying through snow inspired by possibility that flesh might not be preserved in salt but could be preserved in snow. After stuffing a hen with snow, Bacon contracted fatal pneumonia according to this narrative. He dictated his last letter to the Earl of Arundel from his deathbed before passing away. Bacon was buried in St Michael's Church in St Albans where over 30 great minds collected eulogies published later in Latin. His debts amounted to more than £23,000 equivalent to over £4 million at current value despite leaving personal assets worth about £7,000 and lands realizing £6,000 when sold.
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Common questions
When was Francis Bacon born and where did he live?
Francis Bacon was born on the 22nd of January 1561 at York House near Strand in London. He died on the 9th of April 1626 at Arundel House outside London.
What education did Francis Bacon receive at Cambridge University?
Francis Bacon entered Trinity College at the University of Cambridge on the 5th of April 1573 at the age of twelve. His education followed the medieval curriculum and was conducted largely in Latin under the tutelage of John Whitgift.
Why did Francis Bacon lose his public career in 1621?
Bacon's public career ended in disgrace in 1621 after a parliamentary committee charged him with 23 separate counts of corruption. He was sentenced to a fine of £40,000 and committed to the Tower of London before Parliament declared him incapable of holding future office or sitting in parliament.
How did Francis Bacon define scientific knowledge and induction?
Francis Bacon argued for scientific knowledge based only upon inductive reasoning and careful observation of events in nature. He stated that true ways of searching into truth derive axioms from senses and particulars rather than flying from senses to general axioms.
Who wrote the plays attributed to William Shakespeare according to the Baconian hypothesis?
The Baconian hypothesis first proposed in the mid-19th century contends that Francis Bacon wrote some or even all plays conventionally attributed to William Shakespeare. This theory remains a fringe position among scholars today despite its historical popularity.