Examination of the Philosophy of Bacon: Wherein Different Questions of Rational Philosophy Are TreatedAn Examination of the Philosophy of Bacon is one of Joseph de Maistre's most original and important works. Best known for his defence of throne and altar and for his critique of the political and religious thought of the Enlightenment, Maistre also addressed more fundamental philosophical issues. His critique of Bacon, written between 1814 and 1816, is a vigorous attack on the materialism and scientism that he believed characterized the thought of the French philosophes. Although often neglected, An Examination of the Philosophy of Bacon is crucial to understand the epistemological basis for Maistre's critique of modern science as well as his criticisms of other aspects of Enlightenment thought. Given Maistre's stature in the history of conservative thought, his critique of Bacon remains significant for what it tells us about Maistre's own thought, what it reveals about attitudes toward science in his time, and what it contributes to issues that are still debated today. The work also showcases Maistre's polemical skills and his powerful prose style. Richard Lebrun's annotated translation includes Maistre's complete text, an extensive introduction that places the work in context and provides a critical exposition and assessment of Maistre's criticisms of Bacon, biographical notes on persons cited or mentioned by Maistre, and a bibliography. Differences between Maistre's manuscript and the printed text, first published fifteen years after the author's death, are noted, and Maistre's numerous citations have been identified, verified, and translated, making this the only authoritative and fully accurate edition of the work in either French or English. |
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Contents
| vii | |
| xliii | |
| lix | |
| 1 | |
Optics The Progression of Light | 102 |
Experiments and Physical Explanations | 111 |
Meteorology | 127 |
The General Goal of Bacons Philosophy | 139 |
Of the Soul | 172 |
Of the Origin of Spontaneous Motion and of Motion in General | 181 |
Of the Senses and of the Sensible | 203 |
Principle | 204 |
Final Causes | 235 |
The Union of Religion and Science | 270 |
Bacons Religion | 292 |
Bacon Judged by his Translator Conclusion | 307 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Aeneid animal appears in Maistre's Aristotle astronomer atheist atom Bacon beautiful believe better body called century Christian citation cited Condillac contrary deceived Democritus Descartes discovery divine doctrine earth English Epicurus error essence everything Examination example exclusion existence experience explain expression false final causes Francis Bacon French Greek heat heaven human mind Ibid ideas imagine intelligence invented Joseph de Maistre kind knowledge Lasalle Latin less Loeb Classical Library Maistre's manuscript Malebranche material matter means metaphysics method moral Moreover motion natural philosophy nature necessary never observe Oeuvres Organon philosophy physicist physics Plato Precis principle printed editions produce prove question reason religion ridiculous sense sensible soul sophism speak Spedding spirit St Petersburg St Petersburg Dialogues substance syllogism Sylva tells Text translation theology theory things thought true truth understand universe vapours virtue Voltaire winds word
Popular passages
Page 251 - But this inability interferes more mischievously in the discovery of causes: for although the most general principles in nature ought to be held merely positive, as they are discovered, and cannot with truth be referred to a cause; nevertheless the human understanding being unable to rest still seeks something prior in the order of nature.
Page 63 - The third specific difference is this; that heat is a motion of expansion, not uniformly of the whole body together, but in the smaller parts of it ; and at the same time checked, repelled, and beaten back, so that the body acquires a motion alternative, perpetually quivering, striving and struggling, and irritated by repercussion, whence springs the fury of fire and heat.
Page 203 - Matter rather than forms should be the object of our attention, its configurations and changes of configuration, and simple action, and law of action or motion ; for forms are figments of the human mind, unless you will call those laws of action forms.
Page xxviii - Only let the human race recover that right over nature which belongs to it by divine bequest, and let power be given it ; the exercise thereof will be governed by sound reason and true religion.
Page 104 - That no due investigation has been made concerning the Form of Light (especially as men have taken great pains about perspective) may be considered an astonishing piece of negligence. For neither in perspective nor otherwise has any inquiry been made about Light which is of any value. The radiations of it are handled, not the origins. But it is the placing of perspective among the mathematics that has caused this defect, and others of the kind; for thus a premature departure has been made from Physics.
Page 142 - THE prolongation of life: the restitution of youth in some degree : the retardation of age : the curing of diseases counted incurable : the mitigation of pain : more easy and less loathsome purgings : the increasing of strength and activity : the increasing of ability to suffer torture or pain : the altering of complexions, and fatness and leanness : the altering of statures : the altering of features : the increasing and exalting of the intellectual parts...
Page xliv - Joseph de Maistre pendant la Révolution: ses débuts diplomatiques, le marquis de Sales et les émigrés, 1789-1797.
Page 291 - A dungeon horrible on all sides round As one great furnace flamed; yet from those flames No light; but rather darkness visible Served only to discover sights of woe, Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace And rest can never dwell, hope never comes That comes to all; but torture without end Still urges, and a fiery deluge, fed With ever-burning sulphur unconsumed.
Page xxviii - 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.
Bibliographic information
| Title | Examination of the Philosophy of Bacon: Wherein Different Questions of Rational Philosophy Are Treated |
| Authors | Joseph Marie comte de Maistre, Joseph Marie Maistre, comte de |
| Editor | Richard Lebrun |
| Translated by | Richard Lebrun |
| Edition | annotated |
| Publisher | McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP, 1998 |
| ISBN | 0773517278, 9780773517271 |
| Length | 331 pages |
| Subjects | › › Philosophy / History & Surveys / General Philosophy / History & Surveys / Modern |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |