|
Roger Bacon (c. 1214-1294)
An English scholastic philosopher and
scientist who was a Franciscan monk ―
also known as Doctor Mirabilis (Latin: "astounding doctor,"
"admirable doctor").
Roger Bacon
placed considerable emphasis on empiricism, and is thought of as one of the
earliest advocates of the modern scientific method.
Born into a wealthy family probably in 1214, Bacon studied at
Oxford
―
where he became a Master at Oxford, lecturing on
Aristotle, and one of the most
celebrated and zealous teachers ―
as well as at the
University of Paris, where he received the degree of Doctor of
Theology. He was trained in the classics, geometry, arithmetic, music and
astronomy.
Sometime between 1237 and 1245, Bacon began to lecture at the university of
Paris, then the center of intellectual life in Europe. In 1256 he became a Friar
in the
Franciscan Order, no longer holding a teaching post, and with his
activities restricted by a Franciscan statute forbidding Friars from publishing
books or pamphlets without specific approval.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In 1266, Bacon sent a letter to
Pope Clement IV suggesting
improvements in the scientific curricula and installing laboratory
experimentation in the educational system. He made the bold claim that the
entire educational system needed to be rebuilt, and that the foundations for
this revitalization could be found in his work. Bacon gave to the pope a
proposal for a universal encyclopedia of knowledge and asked for a team of
collaborators to be coordinated by a body in the Church to build the
encyclopedia. Unfortunately, Pope Clement was unaccustomed to receiving
proposals such as Bacon's and misunderstood his request. Thinking that
Bacon's encyclopedia of science already existed, the Pope demanded to see
the documents. In the confusion, Pope Clement bound Bacon by a papal oath of
secrecy to reveal all of his beliefs and philosophies. Because Bacon revered
the pope and could not disobey, he quickly composed a three-volume
encyclopedia on the sciences. These works consisted of the
Opus Majus (Great
Work), the Opus Minus (Lesser Work) and the
Opus Tertium
(Third Work), explaining to the pope the rightful role of the sciences in the
university curriculum and the interdependence of all disciplines.
Unfortunately, in 1268 Pope Clement IV died. With the Pope's death, Bacon's
chances of seeing the encyclopedia project through to completion vanished
and even worse, a defeat for the prospect of revamping the university
curriculum. Undaunted, Bacon embarked on another great project and started
to write the
Communia naturalium (General Principles of Natural Philosophy)
and the Communia mathematica (General Principles of Mathematical Science).
He never finished this work and only part of it was published.
|
