Novum Organum

Those who have dogmatized on nature from self-conceit or arrogance have inflicted the greatest injury on philosophy and learning.

• They have stifled and interrupted inquiry exactly in proportion as they have prevailed in bringing others to their opinion.
• Their own activity has not counterbalanced the mischief they have occasioned by corrupting and destroying that of others.

On the other hand, those who think on the contrary are not contemptible.

• These assert that nothing can be known
• They either:
  • hate the ancient sophists
  • have unsure minds or
  • had an exuberance of learning
• They however, have not derived their opinion from true sources
• Their zeal was excessive

• the arrogance of dogmatism, and
• the despair of skepticism

Yet they have not adopted a fixed rule.

• Instead, they put importance on:
  • intense meditation, and
  • a continual exercise and perpetual agitation of the mind.

Our method is difficult, but easily explained.

• It consists in determining the degrees of certainty, while we restore the senses to their former rank.
• We reject that operation of the mind which follows near the senses.
• We open and establish a new course for the mind from the first actual perceptions of the senses themselves.

This was the view of those who have assigned so much to logic.

• They sought some support for the mind
• They suspected its natural and spontaneous mode of action.

The mind has come prepossessed with corrupted doctrines in daily life filled with the vainest idols.

• Such a technique of logic can no longer be used, as it came too late.

The art of logic therefore does not remedy [7] the matter.

• It has really just confirmed errors instead of disclosing the truth.

Our only remaining hope is to begin the whole labor of the mind again.

• We should not leave it to itself.
• Instead, we direct it perpetually from the very first, and attain our end like by mechanical aid.

If men had attempted mechanical labors with their hands alone, without the aid of instruments, they would not be able to do much even if they used all their strength.

It would be madness to move an obelisk with our bare hands.

Yet men go with the same senseless energy in intellectual matters without achieving anything.

I lay down 2 points on which I admonish mankind:

1. We should keep our honor and reverence to the ancients untouched and undiminished

This relates to persons, the next to things.

If we offer something better than the ancients, yet pursue the same course as they did, then we would have rivalries.

But my present plan opens a course entirely:

• different to the understanding
• unattempted and unknown to the ancients

And so the case is altered.

Party zeal ends.

I only become a guide.

We make no attempt to disturb the system of philosophy that now prevails, or any other which may or will exist, either more correct or more complete.

For we deny not that the received system of philosophy, and others of a similar nature, encourage discussion, embellish harangues, are employed, and are of service in the duties of the professor, and the affairs of civil life.

We openly express and declare that the philosophy we offer will not be very useful in such respects. It is not obvious, nor to be understood in a cursory view, nor does it flatter the mind in its preconceived notions, nor will it descend to the level of the generality of mankind unless by its advantages and effects.

Let there be 2 sources or distributions of learning.

These are like 2 friendly tribes.

1. One cultivates the sciences

This is the interpretation of nature

2. Another discovers them

This is “anticipation of the mind”

I had taken pains to render my propositions:

• true
• easily understandable

Yet it is but just that we should obtain this favor from mankind (especially in so great a restoration of learning and the sciences), that whoever wants to comment on my work should follow a course I set describe and maintain.