Philosophical debates are conducted in a narrow circle of initiates, or at the festive table after a plentiful libation. In any case, there is a discussion subject and criteria for evaluation. Gloomy German thinkers sought the meaning of life. And the pragmatic British saw knowledge as a tool to benefit themselves and the state. Francis Bacon was one of the first to revise the teachings of Greek and Roman authorities. Thanks to his approach, he made a good career.
Starting conditions
According to extant data, Francis Bacon was born on January 22, 1561 in a noble family. His father was a high-ranking nobleman, close to the royal person. Mother also came from nobles. Spouses on social status corresponded to one another. The child grew up and was brought up in a strict, rational environment. The house was not welcome idle atmosphere. From a young age, Francis was taught the appropriate manners, rules of conduct in society and the basics of public policy.
In order to understand the basics of the worldview of the famous philosopher, it is important to remember that the nobleman’s personal life was closely intertwined with state affairs, problems and prospects. From an early age, Francis watched how people live equal to him in social status. Being in adulthood, he studied in detail the life and traditions of the lower class. After all, the welfare and greatness of the Kingdom also depends on them. The biography of the next offspring of the Bacon family evolved according to traditional patterns.
In the first twelve years of his life, Francis studied at home. Latin, Greek, he knew perfectly. In 1573, the teenager, along with his older brother, was admitted to college at the University of Cambridge. For three years, the young nobles received the basics of the education they needed. It was within the walls of this educational institution that Bacon entered into correspondence polemics with the famous Aristotle. He believed that the logic of the ancient Greek thinker is suitable for abstract disputes, but not for the benefit of man in real life.
