The Political Philosophy of Francis Bacon

Tom Van Malssen

Description

Comprehensive in its ambitions and meticulous in its approach, The Political Philosophy of Francis Bacon is a new and unique interpretation of one of early modernity's more important thinkers. Whereas recent works on Bacon tend to confine themselves either to interpreting his historical context or to considering the founder of Baconianism from the perspective of one work in particular or the history of science in general, Tom van Malssen argues, through detailed and provocative interpretations of a number of Baconian writings, that the unity of Bacon's thought can only be revealed if these writings are read in historical and philosophical conjunction as well as on the assumption that they are all somehow part of the whole of Bacon's political philosophy. In addition to restoring Bacon to the pantheon of great philosophers, Van Malssen demonstrates that a proper understanding of Bacon's political philosophy contributes significantly to our understanding of the nature of philanthropic science, the modern project, and ultimately ourselves.
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
Introduction

1. The Art of Transmission

2. The Baconian Turn

3. The Trinity of Philosophy

4. The Masculine Rebirth of Time

5. The Perfective Son

Epilogue
Notes
Bibliography

Sujets

• Philosophie
• Philosophie politique
• Philosophie générale
• Philosophy of science
• History of philosophy

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 19 novembre 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 3
• EAN13: 9781438454184
• Langue: English

Extrait

T HE P OLITICAL P HILOSOPHY OF F RANCIS B ACON
T OM VAN M ALSSEN
T HE P OLITICAL P HILOSOPHY OF F RANCIS B ACON
O N THE U NITY OF K NOWLEDGE
Back cover image and frontispiece by Anima van Malssen.
Published by State University of New York Press, Albany
© 2015 State University of New York
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.
For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY
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Production, Jenn Bennett
Marketing, Michael Campochiaro
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Malssen, Tom van, 1982–
The political philosophy of Francis Bacon : on the unity of knowledge / Tom van Malssen.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4384-5417-7 (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN 978-1-4384-5418-4 (ebook)
1. Bacon, Francis, 1561–1626. 2. Political science—Philosophy. I. Title. B1198.S8M35 2014 192—dc23 2014002781
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For Anima
ảρχή ζῴων
Contents
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
Introduction
Chapter 1 The Art of Transmission
Chapter 2 The Baconian Turn
Chapter 3 The Trinity of Philosophy
Chapter 4 The Masculine Rebirth of Time
Chapter 5 The Perfective Son
Epilogue
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Acknowledgments
As the debt most easily acknowledged is the one that need not be acquitted, let me begin by expressing my gratitude to Heinrich Meier, who arranged my dialogical confrontation with Francis Bacon, knowing that encountering one’s opinions in a philosopher who seems to confirm them is the best way to start questioning them. He thus expanded my horizon when I was on the verge of narrowing it, although it was only by following the wise dialogical rule of advanced contraction for the sake of suspended dilation that I was able to reverse direction and set out for open seas. Most importantly, however, he made me doubt the good of philosophy at the very time when I myself most believed in it, thereby causing me not only to experience that the good is not good for him to whom its goodness is unknown, but also to see the contrary danger of the good becoming its own evil by self-elevation. It is therefore to Heinrich Meier that I attribute any good that may come from reading this book.
Mentioning the director of the Carl Friedrich von Siemens Stiftung almost naturally brings me to that remarkable and unique Baconian institution itself, whose official objective to advance the sciences goes hand in hand with the unofficial objective of its incomparable staff to advance the comfort of the scientist, and without whose generous support I would not have been able to contribute to the advancement of the science of Bacon.
My gratitude also goes to Thomas L. Pangle and Lorraine Smith Pangle, co-directors of the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Study of Core Texts and Ideas at the University of Texas at Austin, who offered me a Postdoctoral Fellowship for the academic years 2011–2013, thus enabling me to make the necessary revisions and additions to an earlier version of this manuscript, which was accepted as a doctoral dissertation (summa cum laude) by Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich on July 26, 2011.
I benefited greatly from the reports of Rémi Brague, Ralph Lerner, and Devin Stauffer, all three of whom carefully read, relentlessly criticized, and understandingly commented on drafts of the book at hand, thereby allowing me to advance in learning while preventing me from committing unnecessary blunders. I also profited from the two anonymous reviews that were submitted at SUNY Press. The assistance, moreover, by Michael Rinella and his colleagues at the aforementioned Press contributed in many ways to the present work finding its way through the publishing process as smoothly as possible.
I thank my parents, my mother and my late father, for the unconditional love and support they showed me throughout the process of giving birth to the present work. My mother deserves special praise for her infinite readiness to improve my English through reading the early proofs of my English, although it is I alone who is to be held responsible for any errors this book may still contain. I extend my thanks to some of my friends, who, always in their own way, and sometimes without knowing it, contributed to making my life more agreeable.
Finally, I thank Anima for saying yes to me in all my imperfections. I dedicate this book to her.
Abbreviations
— The Works of Francis Bacon . Fourteen vols., edited by James Spedding, Robert Leslie Ellis, and Douglas Denon Heath. London: Longmans Co, 1870: Works (volume number and page number added; e.g., Works VII, 124).
— The twoo Bookes of Francis Bacon. Of the proficience and aduancement of Learning, diuine and humane (1605): AL. Because the first book and the Epistle Dedicatory to the second book of the Advancement of Learning found their way into the Latin version of 1623 without any essential changes or additions having been made, I have decided to consult the English original. I have used the critical, unmodernized edition of Michael Kiernan 1 because it is the most faithful to the original text. When I refer to the first book, I refer to the number of the book, the number of the paragraph (103 in all), and the page number of the Kiernan edition, as well as to the volume number and the page number of the Works edition (e.g., AL 1.62, 36, III: 299). In the case of the Epistle Dedicatory to the second book (first sixteen paragraphs) I do the same (e.g., AL 2.16, 61–2, III: 328–9). In the case of the second book itself, however, I have decided to consult the Latin version, that is, books II–IX of De Augmentis Scientiarum , because Bacon tells us that the Latin version of the second book contains “great and ample additions” to and “enrichment” of the second book, causing it to be “so enlarged as it may go for a new work.” 2 I only refer to the second book of the Advancement of Learning (Kiernan, 62–193; Works III, 321–491) in order to illustrate where and to argue why books II–IX of De Augmentis deviate from it. In this case I refer to the number of the book and the page number of the Kiernan edition, as well as to the volume number and the page number of the Works edition (e.g., AL 2, 129, III: 411).
— An Advertisement Touching a Holy War (1629): AHW ( Works VII, 17–36); I refer to the number of the paragraph (twenty-five in all), the volume number, and the page number (e.g., AHW 13, VII: 21).
— Cogita et Visa: de Interpretatione Naturae, sive de Scientia Operativa : CV ( Works III, 591–620); I refer to the number of the paragraph (nineteen in all), the volume number, and the page number (e.g., CV 3, III: 593).
— Cogitationes de Natura Rerum : CNR ( Works III, 15–35); I refer to the number of the cogitation (ten in all), the volume number, and the page number (e.g., CNR 4, III: 21–2).
— A Confession of Faith : CF ( Works VII, 217–26); I refer to the number of the paragraph (twenty in all), the volume number, and the page number (e.g., CF 5, VII: 220).
— De Dignitate et Augmentis Scientiarum Libri IX (1623): DA ( Works I, 423–840); I refer to the number of the chapter, the volume number, and the page number (e.g., DA 3.2, I: 545).
— The Essayes or Counsels, Civill and Morall (1625): E ( Works VII, 371–517). I have used the critical, unmodernized edition of Michael Kiernan 3 because this is the edition that is most faithful to the original text. I refer to the number and the title of the Essay in the 1625 edition, to the page number of the Kiernan edition, as well as to the volume number and the page number of the Works edition (e.g., E II “Of Death,” 9 ff., VI: 379–80).
— Filum Labyrinthi : FL ( Works III, 496–504); I refer to the number of the paragraph (ten in all), the volume number, and the page number (e.g., FL 8, III: 502–3).
— Instauratio Magna (1620): IM ( Works I, 119–45); I refer to the Proemium as IMProemium, to the Epistle Dedicatory as IMEpD, to the Praefatio as IMPr. (paragraph number added, six in all), and to the Distributio Operis as IMDO (paragraph number added, thirty-one in all). In all cases I add the volume number and the page number (e.g., IMDO 30, I: 145).
— Meditationes Sacrae (1597): MS ( Works VII, 231–42); I refer to the number and the title of the Meditation, the volume number, and the page number (e.g., MS 10 “De Atheismo,” VII: 239–40).
— New Atlantis (1627): NA ( Works III, 127–68); I refer to the number of the paragraph (fifty-nine in all), the volume number, and the page number (e.g., NA 17, III: 151 ff.).
— Novum Organum, sive Indicia Vera de Interpretatione Naturae (1620): NO ( Works I, 147–365); I refer to the number of the book, the number of the paragraph, the volume number, and the page number (e.g., NO 1.65, I: 175–6). To the Praefatio I refer as NO Pr.
— De Principiis atque Originibus, Secundum Fabulas Cupidinis et Coeli : POFCC ( Works III, 79–118); I refer to the volume number and the page number (e.g., POFCC, III: 113).
— Redargutio Philosophiarum : RP ( Works III, 557–85); I refer to the volume number and the page number (e.g., RP, III: 581).
— De Sapientia Veterum (1612): DSV ( Works VI, 617–86); I refer to the number and the first part of the title of the fable, the volume number, and the page number (e.g., DSV XXXI “Sirenes,” VI: 684 ff.). The Epistles Dedicatory are referred to as DSV, EpD1, and DSV, EpD2. I refer to the Praefatio as DSV Pr.
— Temporis Partus Masculus sive Instauratio Magna Imperii Humani in Universum : TPM ( Works III, 527–39); I refer to the volume number and the page number (e.g., TPM, III: 538).
— Valerius Terminus of