153 "Francis Bacon" Quotes And Sayings

Sir Francis Bacon (1561 – 1626) was an English philosopher, statesman, scientist and jurist who served as Attorney-General and Lord Chancellor of England. A philosopher of the scientific revolution, he is often referred to as "the father of empiricism" and "the father of experimental science". His works established a new paradigm for scientific inquiry. He argued that knowledge should be founded upon a solid foundation of facts, empirically derived from experience—rather than metaphysical speculation or ideological biases—and that only then could progress be made towards understanding natural phenomena Read more

He is generally considered one of the most important thinkers and writers of the late medieval to early modern age.

If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end...
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If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties. Francis Bacon
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Philosophy when superficially studied, excites doubt, when thoroughly explored, it dispels it. Francis Bacon
The serpent if it wants to become the dragon must...
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The serpent if it wants to become the dragon must eat itself. Francis Bacon
Histories make men wise; poets, witty; the mathematics, subtle; natural...
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Histories make men wise; poets, witty; the mathematics, subtle; natural philosophy, deep; moral, grave; logic and rhetoric, able to contend. Francis Bacon
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Atheism leaves a man to sense, to philosophy, to natural piety, to laws, to reputation; all which may be guides to an outward moral virtue, though religion were not; but superstition dismounts all these, and erecteth an absolute monarchy in the minds of men. Therefore atheism did never perturb states; for it makes men wary of themselves, as looking no further: and we see the times inclined to atheism (as the time of Augustus Cæsar) were civil times. But superstition hath been the confusion of many states, and bringeth in a new primum mobile, that ravisheth all the spheres of government. The master of superstition is the people; and in all superstition wise men follow fools; and arguments are fitted to practice, in a reversed order. . Francis Bacon
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Truth is a naked and open daylight, that does not show the masques, and mummeries, and triumphs of the world, half so stately and daintily as candle-lights... A mixture of a lie doth ever add pleasure Francis Bacon
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But it is not only the difficulty and labor which men take in finding out of truth, nor again that when it is found it imposeth upon men's thoughts, that doth bring lies in favor; but a natural though corrupt love of the lie itself. Francis Bacon
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God has, in fact, written two books, not just one. Of course, we are all familiar with the first book he wrote, namely Scripture. But he has written a second book called creation. Francis Bacon
A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.
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A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds. Francis Bacon
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We are much beholden to Machiavelli and others, that write what men do, and not what they ought to do . For it is not possible to join serpentine wisdom with the columbine innocency, except men know exactly all the conditions of the serpent; his baseness and going upon his belly, his volubility and lubricity, his envy and sting, and the rest; that is, all forms and natures of evil. For without this, virtue lieth open and unfenced. Nay, an honest man can do no good upon those that are wicked, to reclaim them, without the help of the knowledge of evil. . Francis Bacon
Crafty men condemn studies; Simple men admire them; And wise...
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Crafty men condemn studies; Simple men admire them; And wise men use them: For they teach not their own use: but that is a wisdom without them, and above them, won by observation. Francis Bacon
Hope is a good breakfast, but it is a bad...
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Hope is a good breakfast, but it is a bad supper. Francis Bacon
Write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come...
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Write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come unsought for are commonly the most valuable. Francis Bacon
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I would address one general admonition to all, that they consider what are the true ends of knowledge, and that they seek it not either for pleasure of the mind, or for contention, or for superiority to others, or for profit, or for fame, or power, or any of these inferior things, but for the benefit and use of life; and that they perfect and govern it in charity. For it was from lust of power that the Angels fell, from lust of knowledge that man fell, but of charity there can be no excess, neither did angel or man come in danger by it. Francis Bacon
For the things of this world cannot be made known...
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For the things of this world cannot be made known without a knowledge of mathematics. Francis Bacon
If in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without...
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If in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without doubt and truth without error, it behooves us to place the foundations of knowledge in mathematics. Francis Bacon
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The inquiry of truth, which is the love-making, or the wooing of it, the knowledge of truth, which is the presence of it, and the belief of truth, which is the enjoying of it, is the sovereign good of human nature. Francis Bacon
Knowledge itself is power
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Knowledge itself is power Francis Bacon
A man that is young in years may be old...
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A man that is young in years may be old in hours if he have lost no time. Francis Bacon
Wonder is the seed of knowledge
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Wonder is the seed of knowledge Francis Bacon