Bacon's for Idols
Bacon’s Four Idols
Francis Bacon is widely regarded as the father of empiricism. Bacon is credited for making many scientific discoveries, most notably the scientific method. He also provides us with a new tool for reasoning through The New Organon. He gives us a set of idols that he feels need to be set aside in order to discover new truths. Idols are falsely worshipped ideas that can fill our minds with incorrect thoughts. They are predispositions that create both prejudices and misconceptions. Bacon states that there are four idols that we must eliminate in order to be able to make clear decisions. The four idols are idols of: the tribe, the cave, the marketplace, and the theater. The four idols are a set of human prejudices that distort our perception on life. Idols of the tribe are associated with humanity and the predispositions that are inherent to human beings. For example, human beings hold the prejudice that they are the center of the universe, but this is false. The idols of the tribe are the natural weaknesses and tendencies that are common to human nature. These are innate; therefore they cannot be eliminated completely. The idols of the tribe are abstractions in error that arise from the common misconceptions of humans. They resemble all human misunderstandings. They also address how we are able to take information and express it. This implies that there is more information in nature than we could possibly know; therefore we are never completely aware of anything. Bacon includes our “spiritual nature” in idols of the tribe. Our spiritual nature is another factor that can alter our perceptions on life. Humans own “wishful thinking” is another thing that affects our outlooks. We are naturally inclined to believe and even accept something that we would prefer to be true. Our tendency to rush to conclusion, which leads to making premature decisions, is another factor that could alter our sense of perceptions. Each person’s
Francis Bacon is widely regarded as the father of empiricism. Bacon is credited for making many scientific discoveries, most notably the scientific method. He also provides us with a new tool for reasoning through The New Organon. He gives us a set of idols that he feels need to be set aside in order to discover new truths. Idols are falsely worshipped ideas that can fill our minds with incorrect thoughts. They are predispositions that create both prejudices and misconceptions. Bacon states that there are four idols that we must eliminate in order to be able to make clear decisions. The four idols are idols of: the tribe, the cave, the marketplace, and the theater. The four idols are a set of human prejudices that distort our perception on life. Idols of the tribe are associated with humanity and the predispositions that are inherent to human beings. For example, human beings hold the prejudice that they are the center of the universe, but this is false. The idols of the tribe are the natural weaknesses and tendencies that are common to human nature. These are innate; therefore they cannot be eliminated completely. The idols of the tribe are abstractions in error that arise from the common misconceptions of humans. They resemble all human misunderstandings. They also address how we are able to take information and express it. This implies that there is more information in nature than we could possibly know; therefore we are never completely aware of anything. Bacon includes our “spiritual nature” in idols of the tribe. Our spiritual nature is another factor that can alter our perceptions on life. Humans own “wishful thinking” is another thing that affects our outlooks. We are naturally inclined to believe and even accept something that we would prefer to be true. Our tendency to rush to conclusion, which leads to making premature decisions, is another factor that could alter our sense of perceptions. Each person’s