Novum Organum

Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) is the writer of Novum Organum. He was a polymath, philosopher, and statesman who lived in early modern England. An important figure in the Scientific Revolution, he influenced the advancement of an empirical approach, though he did not call himself an empiricist. He uses Novum Organum to advance his ideas about science, human progress, and An Inductive Approach to Knowledge. His three key arguments form the central themes: that current epistemology is fundamentally flawed, that there is great hope and desirability in the progression of human knowledge, and that, as a result of the preceding two, a “Great Instauration” or renewal is needed—one that demands a brand-new epistemological and scientific approach. The first and last themes particularly represented innovative ideas, though they drew on ideas already emerging in the early stages of the Scientific Revolution.

Bacon uses his own presence as the author to enhance his arguments. He often uses the word “we” rather than “I,” writing of himself as one of a group. Sometimes this is because he is presenting a statement relevant to both himself and his reader—for instance, “[W]e must examine what spirit is in every body” is an instruction for everyone (55).