Law or Form? Francis Bacon’s Conceptions of Regularities in Nature Cover Image

Prawo czy forma? Francisa Bacona koncepcja prawidłowości w przyrodzie
Law or Form? Francis Bacon’s Conceptions of Regularities in Nature

Author(s): Joanna Luc
Subject(s): Philosophy, Early Modern Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
Published by: Uniwersytet Warszawski - Wydział Filozofii i Socjologii, Instytut Filozofii
Keywords: Francis Bacon; laws of nature; form

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this paper is to analyze the terms “law” (of nature) and “form” in two works of FrancisBacon: the Novum Organum and The Advancement of Learning. The term “form” belongs to the scholastic tradition, whereas the term “law” is crucial for modern scientific methodology. The analysis starts with general characteristics of both terms and then traces them in Bacon’s writings. Both terms turn out to be important for Bacon, but it is argued that to fully understand his approach, his nominalistic tendencies should be acknowledged as well.

  • Issue Year: 27/2019
  • Issue No: 1 (105)
  • Page Range: 95-120
  • Page Count: 26
  • Language: Polish