Francis Bacon

Francis Bacon is a 17th century philosopher whose well-known accomplishments include being a well-respected lawyer and statesman who presented many great arguments in Parliament and famous trials. He eventually served as Lord Chancellor to James l. His intellect was unusually original. One of his most important contributions was paving the way for the scientific method to come into existence. In his writing Novum Organum, he gives “true directions concerning the interpretation of nature”.   

Bacon was born on January 22, 1561 in London, England. He was the son of the lord keeper meaning he was charged with the physical custody or the Great Seal of England. He attended Trinity College in Cambridge but acquired ill health while attending. It was here where his learned and disputed Aristotelian philosophy.

In 1576 Bacon was invited to study at London’s Gray’s Inn, which was one of the four Inns of Court that served as institutions for legal education. He eventually worked his way up the “corporate ladder” so to speak, to become a member of the queen’s counsel and eventually the attorney general. He was very successful as a lawyer but the career path did not fulfill his philosophical and political aspirations.

 He was working towards a part in the English political spectrum when he wrote a “Letter of Advice” to the queen which indicated his interest in politics and showed a lot of potential I doing so. Bacon his a rut in 1593 when he opposed the government’s demand for subsidies to help with the war against Spain. Queen Elizabeth was disgusted of this gesture and Bacon was in disgrace for several of the following years.

Upon Elizabeth’s death in 1603, Bacon began focusing his writings to showcase his abilities for a spot on James l’s counsel. He voiced his concerns for Irish affairs, the union of the kingdoms, and the pacification of the church to prove that he had much to offer the new king. With the help of his cousin Robert Cecil, he was dubbed as a knight. He sat in the first Parliament of the new reign and was a commissioner for the possible union with Scotland.

Bacon was appointed again to attorney general by the king in 1613. He was constantly in conflict with Coke of the King’s Bench and “champion of common law”, until Coke was dismissed for defying orders given to him by the king. This escalation brought Bacon to a title of lord keeper of the great seal in 1617, as his father once was. The following year he became lord chancellor. During these times and slightly after, Bacon is known for coming up with some of his greatest philosophical works, the most influential being Novum Organum.

In 1621, Bacon was accused of two counts of bribery. This happened when he had fallen ill, which made it difficult for him to meet the charges. There were more complaints received about his nobility. He admitted to the receipt of gifts but claimed they never affected his judgment. He eventually resigned the seal and was hit with a 40,000 pound fine and was imprisoned in the Tower of London.

During his time after his incarceration, without the worry of his services to the court, Bacon was able to offer inspiring and educated views on multiple aspects such as the war with Spain, educational reforms, biographies, and history pieces. He was never fully pardoned by the king. He died from a case of bronchitis on April 9, 1626.

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Francis-Bacon-Viscount-Saint-Alban

Lea, Kathleen Marguerite, et al. “Francis Bacon.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia          Britannica, Inc., 18 Jan. 2019, www.britannica.com/biography/Francis-Bacon-Viscount-   Saint-Alban