The Advancement of Learning Kindle Edition

by Francis Bacon (Author), Henry Morley (Editor) Format: Kindle Edition

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Part of: Modern Library Science (3 books)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

While he didn't exactly invent science, Francis Bacon is its best-known early promoter. The Advancement of Learning is his 1605 argument in favor of natural philosophy and inductive reasoning, and it is still vigorous and cogent today. Though using the language of Shakespeare, the book remains largely accessible to modern readers--still, a bit of classical knowledge is helpful. Shaking off the centuries-old domination of Aristotle, Bacon advocated building scientific theories on facts and observations rather than pure reason; little has changed in our approach to understanding the world since then. Of greatest interest to historians and philosophers of science, the book will also appeal to those curious about the underpinnings of today's naturalistic thinking. --Rob Lightner --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Review

`Kiernan is especially good in tracking classical and contemporary allusions; in situating Bacon on the social and political map of his day; and in discussing Bacon's understanding of humanism, rhetoric, dialectic, and moral philosophy.' Sixteenth Century Journal, XXXII/2

`the commentary offers the reader a store of treasures' Sixteenth Century Journal, XXXII/2

`Kiernan is especially adept at providing classical and scriptural sources; at connecting the passage in question to others found elsewhere in Bacon's works; at providing historical information and references to texts written by others in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; and at glossing difficult language ... Some of the notes offer exceptionally fine and concise accounts of Bacon's slants on history' Sixteenth Century Journal, XXXII/2

`Kiernan shares a rich fund of knowledge about Bacon's life, contemporaries, works and seventeenth-century reception; but he is also informative about scholarship on Bacon both old and recent. And even though the textual history of the Advancement is reasonably straightforward, Kiernan offers a fascinating account of the evidence for the processes of proofreading this text' Sixteenth Century Journal, XXXII/2 --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From the Inside Flap

Francis Bacon, lawyer, statesman, and philosopher, remains one of the most effectual thinkers in European intellectual history. We can trace his influence from Kant in the 1700s to Darwin a century later. The Advancement of Learning, first published in 1605, contains an unprecedented and thorough systematization of the whole range of human knowledge. Bacon's argument that the sciences should move away from divine philosophy and embrace empirical observation would forever change the way philosophers and natural scientists interpret their world. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From the Back Cover

From the Publisher

Kessinger Publishing reprints over 1,500 similar titles all available through Amazon.com. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

About the Author

Michael Kiernan is Associate Professor of English, Pennsylvania State University, and editor of Francis Bacon: Essayes or Counsels, Civill and Morall (OUP/Harvard, 1985) to be reissued as Volume XV of OFB, 2000.
--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

To the King

1. There were under the law, excellent King, both daily sacrifices and freewill offerings; the one proceeding upon ordinary observance, the other upon a devout cheerfulness: in like manner there belongeth to kings from their servants both tribute of duty and presents of affection. In the former of these I hope I shall not live to be wanting, according to my most humble duty, and the good pleasure of your Majesty's employments: for the latter, I thought it more respective to make choice of some oblation, which might rather refer to the propriety and excellency of your individual person, than to the business of your crown and state.

2. Wherefore, representing your Majesty many times unto my mind, and beholding you not with the inquisitive eye of presumption, to discover that which the Scripture telleth me is inscrutable, but with the observant eye of duty and admiration; leaving aside the other parts of your virtue and fortune, I have been touched, yea, and possessed with an extreme wonder at those your virtues and faculties, which the Philosophers call intellectual; the largeness of your capacity, the faithfulness of your memory, the swiftness of your apprehension, the penetration of your judgement, and the facility and order of your elocution: and I have often thought, that of all the persons living that I have known, your Majesty were the best instance to make a man of Plato's opinion, that all knowledge is but remembrance, and that the mind of man by nature knoweth all things, and hath but her own native and original notions (which by the strangeness and darkness of this tabernacle of the body are sequestered) again revived and restored: such a light of nature I have observed in your Majesty, and such a readiness to take and blaze from the least occasion presented, or the least spark of another's knowledge delivered. And as the Scripture saith of the wisest king, "That his heart was as the sands of the sea"; which though it be one of the largest bodies, yet it consisteth of the smallest and dunest portions; so hath God given your Majesty a composition of understanding admirable, being able to compass and comprehend the greatest matters, and nevertheless to touch and apprehend the least; whereas it should seem an impossibility in nature, for the same instrument to make itself ïfor great and small works. And for your gift of speech, I call to mind what Cornelius Tacitus saith of Augustus Caesar: "Augusto proïfuens, et quae principem deceret, eloquentia fuit." For if we note it well, speech that is uttered with labour and diffculty, or speech that savoureth of the affectation of art and precepts, or speech that is framed after the imitation of some pattern of eloquence, though never so excellent; all this hath somewhat servile, and holding of the subject. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0082RVJPI
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 12, 2012
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 549 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 175 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1545507511
Lending ‏ : ‎ Enabled

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Not a good edition unless you are proficient at Latin

Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2011

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I have been working my way through many of the classics and taking advantage of the Kindle Freebies. Some editions have been very useful, this was not. My main complaint is that this book has neither footnotes nor a glossary. Normally that is not a serious problem, but in this case it is critical since Bacon quotes almost everything in Latin and they are the main points of his thoughts. I scanned google books for other editions and found that it was fairly common to include a section with translations of the Latin and a glossary of the uncommon English words or phrases used by Bacon. I do not know if any of these editions are on the Kindle, but if they are, it would be worth paying some money for these features, especially if they were hyperlinked.

Otherwise, this is supposed to be a groundbreaking book on the subject of learning. At the time Bacon wrote this, they had very different ideas about education and this book got things rolling in the direction that we are at today. Bacon starts out talking about all of the reasons that were commonly used to justify not educating the masses and gives reasons why they may or may not be true. He then goes on to propose things that should and should not be taught.

The book is addressed to the king, and I had forgotten how obsequious that people used to be towards royalty. Out modern tastes make it seem like serious brown-nosing. Much of what he talks about seems very foreign to us, since those types of ideas are long-gone from society. It really made me appreciate not living during those times. They style was also somewhat difficult for me to follow and is one of the more difficult reads I have had in recent years. Not understanding Latin did not help.

I cannot recommend this edition to anyone other than those fluent in Latin. I would search for an edition with hyperlinked translations to the Latin and a glossary of unusual terms and pay the small amount of money required.

29 people found this helpful

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Roberto Rigolin F Lopes

Setting the scientific revolution

Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2016

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We are in 1605, Bacon explains to his king the methods and the effects of learning. You need to go through his pompous salutations and several quotes in Latin to learn something here. This is mainly a report, meaning that he is not demanding much brainpower from his king. He even says that this text is analogous to the sound of an orchestra tuning their instruments; the beautiful sounds will follow. He was damn right… the scientific revolution was just starting.

One person found this helpful

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Peter Webb

Very good, but difficult for dummies like me.

Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2014

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I won't waste your time talking about my personal opinion on one of the greatest English language writers of all time. If your question is whether he's worth reading or not, the answer is yes. My only gripe is that every page or so, he comes out with a long string of Latin, generally a quote, and I don't know Latin. These aren't all common phrases that everyone who's anyone would know. Those of us who were public school educated will have to read with Google Translate open (Google-ing the string in quotations generally brings up excerpts from The Advancement of Learning). The Kindle book could be much improved if there were footnotes with translations, thus the 4 stars.

12 people found this helpful

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Robert Valenzuela

Three Stars

Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2016

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I used it in my lessons

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Tristan

Three Stars

Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2015

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Good read. Good addition to the library.

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Carlos Ivan Simonsen Leal

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2014

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One of the best books in the last 500 years.

2 people found this helpful

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brownpug

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2015

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O.D.

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2015

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Good

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Top reviews from other countries

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Owen55

Requires persistence to finish reading it

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 3, 2017

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This was on my list of books that I had seen referenced in way that made me doubt that those who refer to it have actually read it. It is hard work for a modern reader and knowing some Latin helps.

Doorvaasa A

Good condition. Book is of great value.

Reviewed in India on June 13, 2018

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Good one. Price is at high to the quality of the paper. Anyway, this is a rare book, less people choose to read this book. The content of the book is of great value. I am enjoying the content.

One person found this helpful

Antonio

L'avanzamento dell'apprendimento

Reviewed in Italy on December 29, 2017

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Questo libro del filosofo Bacone è una lettura non adatta a tutti, sia per la sua difficoltà che per gli argomenti trattati. La versione qui presente è in Inglese ed è ben fatta, si visualizza bene sul Kindle.

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Mr. J. Selkirk

Four Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 2, 2015

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