Why Francis Bacon is a Founding Father of Modernity
It’s no wonder the poet William Blake wrote of Bacon’s essays, “Good advice for Satan’s Kingdom.”
March 1626. Francis Bacon was riding through Highgate, north of London. The idea occurred to him that snow might be used to preserve food. He stopped the coach, bought a chicken, killed and drew it, then packed the interior with snow. He was apparently in the cold too long. He came down with a chill and couldn’t travel further. He went to a colleague’s house to recuperate, but he came down with pneumonia and died.
The Seinfeld Soup Nazi might have suffered for his soup, but Francis Bacon died for his science.
Bacon’s Importance
Francis Bacon (1561–1626) is huge. He and Renee Descartes form the two-lane freeway of modernity: Empiricism and Rationalism.
All other currents of modern thought — Solipsism, Skepticism, Utilitarianism, Positivism, Progressivism, Marxism, etc. — are just exits from the Empirical-Rational Freeway. Relevant exits, yes, with much to show us, but still just exits. If you can’t follow the contours…
