Francis Bacon: his role in the emergence of modern thought

Abstract

The thought of Francis Bacon illuminates certain aspects of the intellectual transformation that took place in the early seventeenth century, marking the beginning of modern thought. This thesis both states the case for considering Francis Bacon a modern thinker, and, through an examination of various aspects of his philosophy, explains the central issues at stake in the break with tradition at the beginning of the modern age. The thesis examines Bacon's scientific and methodological ideas (chapters 1 and 2), aspects of his moral and political thought (chapter 3), and his contribution to the idea of historical progress (chapter 4).