9 

 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13th, 1895. 



BACON'S PLACE IN SCIENCE- 

 A CRITICISM AND AN INDICTMENT. 



Mr. J. VILLIN MARMERY 



(Author of "Progress of Science," "A Manual of the History of Art," 

 "Wit, Wisdom and Folly," &c.) 



The name of Bacon is associated with inductive philosophy 

 so generally that ho is popularly regarded as the founder of the 

 system. Whether that association of Bacon with inductive 

 philosophy is founded on facts, or whether it is due to a miscon- 

 ception of facts is an interesting inquiry. The questions 

 involved in this inquiry are : — (1) Was Bacon a natural 

 philosopher ? (2) Was he an inductive philosopher ? (3) Was he 

 qualified to speak on science with authority ? (4) Is the inductive 

 method synonymous with the Baconian method ? (5) Has Bacon 

 exercised any influence on scientific progress ? To these 

 questions his disciples reply in the affirmative. Can this 

 liffirmation be maintained by the light of Bacon's works, and the 

 history of science before and since Bacon's time ? 



Those who have studied Bacon and scientific history, oppose 

 the verdict of Bacon's disciples. They reject his claim to be con- 

 sidered as a qualified authority on matters scientific, as a natural 

 philosopher, as an inductive philosopher, although he was an 

 advocate of Induction. They deny that he exercised any influ- 

 ence on scientific progress. They deny that the Baconian method is 

 synonymous with the scientific method. They even declare that 

 the Baconian method is rather antagonistic to the scientific 

 method than in harmony with it. We have to inquire which 

 verdict is founded on facts. 



Bacon's supporters are hardly responsible for the popular 

 fame of Bacon as an inductive philosopher and founder of the 

 experimental school. They merely repeat, without independent 

 inquiry on their part, the assertions made by earlier writers. 

 They first believe what Bacon himself states. Bacon having 

 asserted that science had stood still since Aristotle's time, and 

 that he opened a new scientific era — they repeat the assertion 



