2 6 The Concept of Method 



Conception and Perception, when he recognises the logical de- 

 pendence of Deduction upon Induction for its* validity. In its 

 narrower sense JMethod has its proper place in the organisation 

 of experience, between the perception of individual phenomena 

 and the expression of that experience to others. It involves judg- 

 ment, which requires as its material certain phenomena, and as 

 its justification or end the transmission of the judgment of value 

 to others or its recognition as a basis for further scientific prog- 

 ress. For Bacon recognises that the practical value of method 

 is twofold : on the one hand it is to be directly put to utilitarian 

 ends, and therefore corresponds to applied science and all the 

 branches of the practical arts ; and on the other hand, it is to form 

 the basis for further progress in knowledge, in which capacity 

 it corresponds to pure science. When he comes actually to apply 

 his conception of method as the organisation of experience for 

 practical or purely scientific purposes, Bacon, with one eye on 

 the nature of things and the other on the uses of mankind, recog- 

 nises four distinct stages which are involved in his method: (a) 

 the construction of a chart of civilisation and science, with their 

 practical contributions to human welfare; (b) the formulation of 

 the possible demands that may justly be made upon the various 

 branches of the sciences and arts; (c) the estimation of the de- 

 gree to which each has attained or has come short of the measure 

 of usefulness demanded; and (d) an indication of the means and 

 materials by which deficiencies can be remedied. 



Though formulated with regard only to science, these stages in 

 method have important educational implications which will be 

 considered subsequently. 



(2) The application of Bacon's general conception of method 

 to the process of experience is no less important than his explan- 

 ation of the term itself, and it is no less fraught with educa- 

 tional implications. It is plainly evident here that, though he 

 draws his illustrations mainly from science. Bacon continually 

 has in mind his former identification of knowledge with reality, 

 or experience in general. The method of knowledge is, first, to 

 discover or invent what is sought; second, to judge whether the 

 means, material, or process actually meets the need ; third, to 

 retain this new scientific knowledge by embodying it in some 

 permanent form ; and fourth, to transmit the practical results of 



