弗蘭西斯培根（Francis Bacon，1561―1626），英國17世紀著名的政治傢、思想傢和經驗主義哲學家，提出了“知識就是力量”的著名論斷，創立了科學歸納法。 弗蘭西斯·培根，第一代聖阿爾本子爵（Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Alban，1561年1月22日－1626年4月9日），著名英國哲學家、政治傢、科學家、法學家、演說傢和散文作傢，是古典經驗論的始祖。
生平
1561年1月22日，弗蘭西斯·培根出生於倫敦一個高級官員家庭。他的父親尼古拉·培根爵士（Sir Nicholas Bacon）擔任過伊麗莎白女王的大法官。培根是父親第二位妻子的最小的兒子。他的母親是文藝復興時代的一個博學多才的貴族婦女，其母的妹夫是伊麗莎白女王的重臣伯利勳爵。有了這種家庭背景和社會關係，再加上才華出衆，培根很早就有了出入宮廷的機會。早在孩提時代，他就被伊麗莎白女王稱為“我的小掌璽大臣”。
Farrell, John. 6: The Science of Suspicion. Paranoia and Modernity: Cervantes to Rousseau. Cornell University Press. 2006. ISBN 978-0801474064.
Farrington, Benjamin. The Philosophy of Francis Bacon. University of Chicago Press. 1964.Contains English translations of
Temporis Partus Masculus
Cogitata et Visa
Redargutio Philosophiarum
Heese, Mary. Francis Bacon's Philosophy of Science. (編) Vickers, Brian. Essential Articles for the Study of Francis Bacon. Hamden, CT: Archon Books. 1968: 114–39.
Lewis, Rhodri. "Francis Bacon and Ingenuity." Renaissance Quarterly 67.1 (2014): 113–163. in JSTOR
Roselle, Daniel; Young, Anne P. 5: The 'Scientific Revolution' and the 'Intellectual Revolution'. Our Western Heritage.[需要完整來源]
Rossi, Paolo. Francis Bacon: from Magic to Science. Taylor & Francis. 1978.
Serjeantson, Richard. "Francis Bacon and the 'Interpretation of Nature' in the Late Renaissance," Isis (Dec 2014) 105#4 pp: 681–705.
Bacon has been called the father of empiricism. His works argued for the possibility of scientific knowledge based only upon inductive reasoning and careful observation of events in nature. Most importantly, he argued science could be achieved by use of a sceptical and methodical approach whereby scientists aim to avoid misleading themselves. Although his most specific proposals about such a method, the Baconian method, did not have a long-lasting influence, the general idea of the importance and possibility of a sceptical methodology makes Bacon the father of the scientific method. This method was a new rhetorical and theoretical framework for science, the practical details of which are still central in debates about science and methodology.
Francis Bacon was a patron of libraries and developed a functional system for the cataloguing of books by dividing them into three categories—history, poetry, and philosophy—which could further be divided into more specific subjects and subheadings. Bacon was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he rigorously followed the medieval curriculum, largely in Latin.
Bacon was the first recipient of the Queen's counsel designation, which was conferred in 1597 when Elizabeth I of England reserved Bacon as her legal advisor. After the accession of James VI and I in 1603, Bacon was knighted. He was later created Baron Verulam in 1618 and Viscount St. Alban in 1621.[b]
Because he had no heirs, both titles became extinct upon his death in 1626, at 65 years. Bacon died of pneumonia, with one account by John Aubrey stating that he had contracted the condition while studying the effects of freezing on the preservation of meat. He is buried at St Michael's Church, St Albans, Hertfordshire.
概述
弗蘭西斯·培根（Francis Bacon ，1561—1626）是英國哲學家、思想傢、作傢和科學家。他竭力倡導“讀史使人明智，讀詩使人靈秀，數學使人精密，哲理使人深刻，倫理學使人有修養，邏輯修辭之學使人善辯。”（Histories make men wise, poets witty, the mathematics subtle, natural philosophy deep, moral grave, logic and rhetoric able to contend)
他推崇科學、發展科學的進步思想和崇尚知識的進步口號，一直推動着社會的進步。這位一生追求真理的思想傢，被馬剋思稱為“英國唯物主義和整個現代實驗科學的真正始祖”。他在邏輯學、美學、教育學方面也提出許多思想。著有《新工具》、《論說隨筆文集》等。後者收入58篇隨筆，從各個角度論述廣泛的人生問題，精妙、有哲理，擁有很多讀者。
著有《學術的進步》（1605）和《新工具》（1620）等。培根尖銳地批判了中世紀經院哲學，認為經院哲學和神學嚴重地阻培根作品《新工具》礙了科學的進步，主張要全面改造人類的知識，使整個學術文化從經院哲學中解放出來，實現偉大的復興。他認為，科學必須追求自然界事物的原因和規律。要達到這個目的，就必須以感官經驗為依據。他提出了唯物主義經驗論的原則，認為知識和觀念起源於感性世界，感覺經驗是一切知識的源泉。要獲得自然的科學知識，就必須把認識建築在感覺經驗的基礎上。他還提出了經驗歸納法，主張以實驗和觀察材料為基礎，經過分析、比較、選擇、排除，最後得出正確的結論。
《論說文集》最能體現培根的寫作風格：文筆優美、語言凝練、寓意深刻。這本書中的文章從各種角度論述了他對人與社會、人與自己、人與自然的關係的許多獨到而精闢的見解，使許許多多人從這本書中獲得熏陶指導。如：
“一個自身無德的人見別人有德必懷嫉妒”。
“沒有友誼，則世上不過是一片荒野”。
“最能保人心神健康的預防藥，就是朋友的忠言規諫”。“思想中的疑心就好培根作品《論說文集》象鳥中的蝙蝠一樣，永遠是在黃昏中飛的。疑心使君王傾嚮專製，丈夫傾嚮嫉妒，智者傾嚮寡斷和憂鬱。”
“狡猾就是一種陰險邪惡的聰明。一個狡猾人與一個聰明人之間，卻有一種很大的差異，這差異不但是在誠實上，而且是在才能上的。”
“順境的美德是節制；逆境的美德是堅忍。這後一種是較為偉大的一種德性。”
培根一生在學問上成就很大，然而作為政客他飽嘗了仕途之艱辛。做女王掌璽大臣的父親去世後，他一直未得到女王的重用。直到詹姆斯一世當政，他纔逐漸得到升遷，先後擔任過法院院長、檢察長、掌璽大臣等，還被封男爵、子爵等貴族尊號。然而，後來他又被免除了一切官職。成為平民之後，培根將全部的精力投入到學問研究中，他最終成為中世紀英國著名的唯物主義哲學創始者。1626年4月培根離開了人世。
弗蘭西斯 培根（1561——1626）是一位英國文藝復興的代表人物，他是傑出的哲學家，科學家及散文傢。他通過持之以恆地用科學方法思考及依靠觀察而非權威學說獲取知識的態度成為現代科學的奠基人。他的《培根散文集》是英國文學中這一流派的典範，並被譽為英語散文發展的重要里程碑。他所運用的一些新鮮詞彙還進入了英國文學傳統。
"Of Studies"主要內容：
《論讀書》<<Of Studies>>是培根散文集58篇散文集中最著名的一篇。文章分析了學習的主要的目的，不同人采取不同學習方法及學習是如何對人的性情品格産生潛移默化的影響。《Of studies》的語言有氣度並頗有說服力，結構簡練而緊湊，嚮讀者揭示了培根對學習的自然客觀態度。
Of Studies is the most popular of Bacon's 58 essays.It analyzes what studies cheifly serve for,the different ways adopted by different people to pursue studies,and how studies exert influence over human character.Forceful and persuasive,compact and precise,Of Studies reveals to us Bacon's mature attitude towards learning.
“Of Studies”英文原版：
Of Studies is writen by Francis Bacon
Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability, is in the judgment and disposition of business.
For expert and execute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one; but the general counsels, and the plots and marshalling of affairs, come best form those that are learned.
To spend too much time in studies is sloth; to use them too much for ornament, is affectation; to make judgement wholly by their rules, is the humour of a scholar.
They perfect nature, and are perfected by experience: for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need proyning (pruning) by study; and studies themselves do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in/ by experience.
Crafty men contemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them; for they teach not their own use; but that is a wisdom without them, and above them, won by observation.
Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider.
Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.
Some books also may be read by deputy, and extracts made of them by others; but that would be only in the less important arguments, and the meaner sort of books; else distilled books are, like common distilled waters, flashy things.
Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man. And therefore, if a man write little, he had need have a great memory; if he confer little, he had need have a present wit; and if he read little, he had need have much cunning, to seem to know that he doth not.
Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtile; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in morse. (Studeis go to make up a man’s character. '?-be-"unt-'stü-dE-"?-"in-'mO-"rAs)
Nay there is no stand or impediment in the wit, but may be wrought out by fit studies: like as diseases of the body may have appropriate exercises. Bowling is good for the stone and reins; shooting for the lungs and breast; gentle walking for the stomach ; riding for the head; and the like.
So if a man's wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for in demonstrations, if his wit be called away never so little, he must begin again. If his wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study the schoolmen; for they are cymini sectores. (Hair-splitters sim-mini sek-torr-es) If he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study the lawyers' cases. So every defect of the mind may have a special receipt.--培根 論讀書(英語語言學文學網站：http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_59a22f2b0100awo3.html 參考資料《英美文學選讀》）
"of studies"中文譯文：
讀書足以怡情，足以傅彩，足以長纔。其怡情也，最見於獨處幽居之時；其傅彩也，最見於高談闊論之中；其長纔也，最見於處 世判事之際。
練達之士雖能分別處理細事或一一判別枝節，然縱觀統籌，全局策劃，則捨好學深思者莫屬。讀書費時過多易惰，文采藻飾太盛則矯，全憑條文斷事乃學究故態。
讀書補天然之不足，經驗又補讀書之不足，蓋天生才幹猶如自然花草，讀書然後知如何修剪移接，而書中所示，如不以經驗範之，則又大而無當。
有一技之長者鄙讀書，無知者羨讀書，唯明智之士用讀書，然書並不以用處告人，用書之智不在書中，而在書外，全憑觀察得之。
讀書時不可存心詰難讀者，不可盡信書上所言，亦不可衹為尋章摘句，而應推敲細思。
書有可淺嘗者，有可吞食者，少數則須咀嚼消化。換言之，有衹需讀其部分者，有衹須大體涉獵者，少數則須全讀，讀時須全神貫註，孜孜不倦。書亦可請人代讀，取其所作摘要，但衹限題材較次或價值不高者，否則書經提煉猶如水經蒸餾，淡而無味。
讀書使人充實，討論使人機智，筆記使人準確。因此不常做筆記者須記憶力特強，不常討論者須天生聰穎，不常讀書者須欺世有術，始能無知而顯有知。
讀史使人明智，讀詩使人聰慧，數學使人周密，科學使人深刻，倫理學使人莊重，邏輯修辭之學使人善辯；凡有所學，皆成性格。
人之才智但有滯礙，無不可讀適當之書使之順暢，一如身體百病，皆可藉相宜之運動除之。滾球利睾腎，射箭利胸肺，慢步利腸胃，騎術利頭腦，諸如此類。如智力不集中，可令讀數學，蓋演題需全神貫註，稍有分散即須重演；如不能辯異，可令讀經院哲學，蓋是輩皆吹毛求疵之人；如不善求同，不善以一物闡證另一物，可令讀律師之案捲。如此頭腦中凡有缺陷，皆有特效可醫。--王佐良 譯
