Roger Bacon

From Philosopedia

Roger Bacon (c. 1214 - 1294)

One of the most famous Franciscan friars of his time, Bacon was the English philosopher who placed an emphasis upon empiricism. In the West, he was one of the earliest advocates of the modern scientific method, somewhat enigmatic because he also relied upon the occult and upon alchemical traditions.

Early facts about his life are not clear, but he studied and later became a Master at Oxford, where he lectured on Aristotle but may never have received doctorate. In 1241 he taught at the University of Paris, then returned to Oxford in 1247.

Bacon read Hebrew, Greek, and possibly Arabic texts in the original languages. Erroneously credited with inventing gunpowder, he was an alchemist and a natural scientist whose formula for gunpowder appeared in a work attributed to him. The Germans credited such an invention to an alchemist-monk by the name of Berthold Schwarz, but it is now held that as early as the 9th century the Chinese were making firecrackers, and that gunpowder was introduced to Europe in the 14th Century.

Three of Bacon’s works were written for Pope Clement IV in one year (1267—1268). However, when Clement died Bacon wrote Compendium Philosophiae (1271), which according to J. M. Robertson “argued that the Christians were incomparably inferior to pagans in morals, and therefore in science; that there was more truth in Aristotle’s few chapters on laws than in the whole corpus juris; that the Christian religion, as commonly taught, was not free of errors; and that philosophy truly taught, and not as in the schools, was perhaps the surer way to attain both truth and salvation.” As a result, he was brought to trial and imprisoned for 14 years.

Bacon’s Imago Majus was translated by Peter de Alliaco in 1410 and contained quotations from Aristotle, Pliny, and Seneca, all arguing for the possibility of reaching India by sailing westward. One who read Imago Majus was Christopher Columbus, according to a letter Columbus sent from Jamaica to Ferdinand and Isabella. According to Donald Keene, Columbus also was impressed by Marco Polo’s tales of all the gold in Japan, a further reason for his desire to reach the Orient.

Scientists today find Bacon’s faith in astrology was unwarranted, and philosophers find his ideas in theology were of a previous era. Nevertheless, Bacon was in advance of his times in natural science, despite his interest in magic. Joseph McCabe held that, except for the article in the Dictionary of National Biography, no unbiased, reliable work on Bacon and the influence of Arab science has ever been completed.

Bacon's Catholicism

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia,

• He was greatly influenced by his Oxonian masters and friends Richard Fitzacre and Edmund Rich, but especially by Robert Grosseteste and Adam Marsh, both professors at the Franciscan school, and at Paris by the Franciscan Petrus Peregrinus de Maricourt (see Schlund in Archiv. Francisc. Histor., IV, 1911, pp. 436 sqq.) They created in him a predilection for positive sciences, languages, and physics; and to the last-mentioned he owed his entrance about 1240 (1251? 1257?) into the Franciscans, either at Oxford or Paris. He continued his learned work; illness, however, compelled him to give it up for two years. When he was able to recommence his studies, his superiors imposed other duties on him, and forbade him to publish any work out of the order without special permission from the higher superiors "under pain of losing the book and of fasting several days with only bread and water."

• This prohibition has induced modern writers to pass severe judgment upon Roger's superiors being jealous of Roger's abilities; even serious scholars say they can hardly understand how Bacon conceived the idea of joining the Franciscan Order. Such critics forget that when Bacon entered the order the Franciscans numbered many men of ability in no way inferior to the most famous scholars of other religious orders (see Felder, Gesch. der wissenschaftlichen Studien im Franziskanerorden bis um die Mitte des 13. Jahrhunderts, Freiburg, 1904). The prohibition enjoined on Bacon was a general one, which extended to the whole order; its promulgation was not even directed against him, but rather against Gerard of Borgo San Donnino, as Salimbene says expressly (see "Chronica Fr. Salimbene Parmensis" in Mon. Germ. Hist. SS.", XXII, 462, ed. Holder-Egger).

• Gerard had published in 1254 without permission his heretical work, "Introductorius in Evangelium æternum"; thereupon the General Chapter of Narbonne in 1260 promulgated the above-mentioned decree, identical with the constitutio gravis in contrarium Bacon speaks of, as the text shows (see the constitution published by Ehrle, S.J., '"Die ältesten Redactionen der Generalconstitutionen des Franziskanerordens" in Archiv für Literatur- und Kirchengeschichte des Mittelalters, VI, 110; St. Bonaventure, Opera Omnia, Quaracchi, VIII, 456).

• It would be difficult to find any other scholar who shows such a profound knowledge of the Arabic philosophers as Bacon does. Here appears the aim of his philosophical works, to make Christian philosophy acquainted with the Arabic philosophers. He is an enemy only of the extravagances of Scholasticism, the subtleties and fruitless quarrels, to the neglect of matters much more useful or necessary and the exaltation of philosophy over theology. Far from being hostile to true philosophy, he bestows a lavish praise on it. None could delineate more clearly and convincingly than he, what ought to be the relation between theology and philosophy, what profit they yield and what services they render to each other, how true philosophy is the best apology of Christian faith (see especially "Opus Majus", II and VII; "Compend. studii philos."). Bacon is sometimes not very correct in his expressions; there may even be some ideas that are dangerous or open to suspicion (e.g. his conviction that a real influence upon the human mind and liberty and on human fate is exerted by the celestial bodies etc.). But there is no real error in matters of faith, and Bacon repeatedly asks the reader not to confound his physics with divination, his chemistry with alchemy, his astronomy with astrology; and certainly he submitted with all willingness his writings to the judgment of the Church. It is moving to note the reverence he displayed for the pope. Likewise he shows always the highest veneration towards the Fathers of the Church; and whilst his criticism often becomes violent when he blames the most eminent of his contemporaries, he never speaks or writes any word of disregard of the Fathers or ancient Doctors of the Church, even when not approving their opinion; he esteemed them highly and had acquired such a knowledge of their writings that he was no way surpassed by any of his great rivals. Bacon was a faithful scholar of open character who frankly uttered what he thought, who was not afraid to blame whatsoever and whomsoever he believed to deserve censure, a scholar who was in advance of his age by centuries. His iron will surmounted all difficulties and enabled him to acquire a knowledge so far surpassing the average science of his age, that he must be reckoned among the most eminent scholars of all times.

Some of His Freethinking Thoughts

• Atheism leaves a man to sense, to philosophy, to natural piety, to laws, to reputation, all which may be guides to an outward moral virtue, though religion were not, but superstition dismounts all these, and erecteth an absolute monarchy in the minds of men.

Bacon, himself no fan of atheism, nevertheless preferring it over superstition, in "Of Superstition," The Essayes or Counsels, Civill and Morall (1625); in Sidney Warhaft, ed., Francis Bacon: A Selection of His Works (1965), p. 89, quoted from George H Smith, "The Case Against God Sequel," speech delivered at Freedom From Religion Foundation mini-convention, San Francisco, July 31, 1999

• If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties.

- Francis Bacon, Advancement of Learning

• Truth emerges more readily from error than from confusion.

- Francis Bacon, quoted from Victor J Stenger, Physics and Psychics

• Truth is the daughter of time, not of authority.

- Francis Bacon (attributed: source unknown)

• No pleasure is comparable to the standing upon the vantage-ground of truth.

- Francis Bacon, "Of Truth"

• Truth can never be reached by just listening to the voice of an authority.

- Francis Bacon, quoted from Michael Taylor, "Francis Bacon Secret Societies"

• Nothing doth more hurt in a state than that cunning men pass for wise.

- Francis Bacon (attributed: source unknown)

• It is the wisdom of the crocodiles, that shed tears when they would devour.

- Francis Bacon (attributed: source unknown)

• Books must follow sciences, and not sciences books.

- Francis Bacon, "Proposition touching Amendment of Laws"

• Knowledge is power. (Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est.)

- Francis Bacon, Meditationes Sacr. De Hresibus

• Men fear death as children fear to go in the dark; and as that natural fear in children is increased with tales, so is the other.

- Francis Bacon, "Of Death"

Final Days

As to why and how Bacon died, one story stands out. That is that in March, 1626, Lord St Alban came to London. Continuing his scientific research, he was inspired by the possibility of using snow to preserve meat. He purchased a chicken (fowl) to carry out this experiment. While stuffing the chicken with snow, he contracted a fatal case of pneumonia. He died at Highgate on 9 April 1626, leaving assets of about £7,000 and debts to the amount of £22,000. It is said that the chicken still haunts Pond Square in London.

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