Francis Bacon New Atlantis Great Instauration New Organon

Francis Bacon New Atlantis, Great Instauration, New Organon

New Atlantis “This fable my Lord devised, to the end that he might exhibit therein a model or description of a college instituted for the interpreting of nature and the producing of great and marvellous works for the benefit of men, under the name of Salomon’s House, or the College of the Six Days’ Works. And even so far his Lordship. . .

… hath proceeded, as to finish that part. Certainly the model is more vast and high than can possibly be imitated in all things; notwithstanding most things therein are within men’s power to effect. His Lordship thought also in this present fable to have composed a frame of Laws or of the best state or mould of a

… commonwealth; but foreseeing it would be a long work, his desire of collecting the Natural History diverted him, which he preferred many degrees before it. This work of the New Atlantis (as much as concerneth the English edition) his Lordship designed for this place in regard it hath so near

… affinity (in one part of it) with the preceding Natural History. ” Written by Bacon’s secretary at the beginning of New Atlantis, which was published only after Bacon’s death.

Narrative I. Beginning of narrative: A. Voyagers sailing. Obviously Christians, as they call on God to aid them in surviving a storm, refer to Scripture, etc. B. They arrive at a new land, one no one is familiar with. The natives say people have visited before, but not in 37 years.

C. Natives “save” the sick voyagers through the use of science and technology, though the language remains almost religious. D. Science and technology are the religion of these native people:

“During which time, we had every hour joy of the amendment of our sick; who thought themselves cast into some divine pool of healing, they mended so kindly and so fast. ”

II. With the natives: A. The natives are controlled by the idea of religion, but their religion seems to be science and technology. B. The island is ruled by a group of scientists who belong to a group called Solomon’s House.

III. The most important thing to the natives: A. Light. They receive their divine texts from the Apostle Bartholomew himself when he appears in a boat surrounded by light. B. Only the scientists could travel out to the boat to retrieve the texts. Everyone else would perish.

C. This is the basis for the foundation of the College of Six Days’ Works: i Scientific advancement

“The End of our Foundation is the knowledge of Causes, and secret motions of things; and the enlarging of the bounds of Human Empire, to the effecting of all things possible. ”

What does all this mean? I. What this fable explains how a group of people manipulate nature, changing things, for the good of man. A. Instead of worshiping God, like ancient cultures, they worship success. B. It is an illustration of the movement away from religion and a focus on advancements in science.

C. This illustrates man’s belief that he can do more and be better than God. D. Man replaces God with science because science can provide cures to illness, whereas God sometimes lets people die.

II. Bacon suggests that science is the highest pursuit. But he includes religion and even makes his scientists on the island of New Atlantis dress like priests and give their blessing and use religious language. WHY?

III. This illustrates how the common man, the majority of the natives on the island, still need religion, which seems to be a basic part of human life, almost a need. Religion, then, controls the common man. Replace typical religion with science and you still retain control while also choosing the pursuit of the people.