Novum Organon

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XVIOur notions of less general species, as Man, Dog, Dove, and of the immediateperceptions of the sense, as Hot, Cold, Black, White, do not materially mislead us; yeteven these are sometimes confused by the flux and alteration of matter and the mixing ofone thing with another. All the others which men have hitherto adopted are butwanderings, not being abstracted and formed from things by proper methods.XVIINor is there less of willfulness and wandering in the construction of axioms than in theformation of notions, not excepting even those very principles which are obtained bycommon induction; but much more in the axioms and lower propositions educed by thesyllogism.XVIIIThe discoveries which have hitherto been made in the sciences are such as lie close tovulgar notions, scarcely beneath the surface. In order to penetrate into the inner andfurther recesses of nature, it is necessary that both notions and axioms be derived fromthings by a more sure and guarded way, and that a method of intellectual operation beintroduced altogether better and more certain.XIXThere are and can be only two ways of searching into and discovering truth. The one fliesfrom the senses and particulars to the most general axioms, and from these principles, thetruth of which it takes for settled and immovable, proceeds to judgment and to thediscovery of middle axioms. And this way is now in fashion. The other derives axiomsfrom the senses and particulars, rising by a gradual and unbroken ascent, so that it arrivesat the most general axioms last of all. This is the true way, but as yet untried.XXThe understanding left to itself takes the same course (namely, the former) which it takesin accordance with logical order. For the mind longs to spring up to positions of highergenerality, that it may find rest there, and so after a little while wearies of experiment.But this evil is increased by logic, because of the order and solemnity of its disputations.XXIThe understanding left to itself, in a sober, patient, and grave mind, especially if it be nothindered by received doctrines, tries a little that other way, which is the right one, butwith little progress, since the understanding, unless directed and assisted, is a thingunequal, and quite unfit to contend with the obscurity of things.
XXIIBoth ways set out from the senses and particulars, and rest in the highest generalities; butthe difference between them is infinite. For the one just glances at experiment andparticulars in passing, the other dwells duly and orderly among them.The one, again, begins at once by establishing certain abstract and useless generalities,the other rises by gradual steps to that which is prior and better known in the order ofnature.XXIIIThere is a great difference between the Idols of the human mind and the Ideas of thedivine. That is to say, between certain empty dogmas, and the true signatures and marksset upon the works of creation as they are found in nature.XXIVIt cannot be that axioms established by argumentation should avail for the discovery ofnew works, since the subtlety of nature is greater many times over than the subtlety ofargument. But axioms duly and orderly formed from particulars easily discover the wayto new particulars, and thus render sciences active.XXVThe axioms now in use, having been suggested by a scanty and manipular experience anda few particulars of most general occurrence, are made for the most part just large enoughto fit and take these in; and therefore it is no wonder if they do not lead to newparticulars. And if some opposite instance, not observed or not known before, chance tocome in the way, the axiom is rescued and preserved by some frivolous distinction;whereas the truer course would be to correct the axiom itself.XXVIThe conclusions of human reason as ordinarily applied in matters of nature, I call for thesake of distinction Anticipations of Nature (as a thing rash or premature). That reasonwhich is elicited from facts by a just and methodical process, I call Interpretation ofNature.XXVIIAnticipations are a ground sufficiently firm for consent, for even if men went mad allafter the same fashion, they might agree one with another well enough.XXVIII
Page 2 and 3: the mind itself be from the very ou
Page 4 and 5: [BOOK ONE]IMan, being the servant a
Page 8 and 9: For the winning of assent, indeed,
Page 10 and 11: The Idols of the Tribe have their f
Page 12 and 13: The human understanding is unquiet;
Page 14 and 15: apter to mark the differences of th
Page 16: are the immediate objects of the se
Page 19 and 20: the alteration of bodies proceeds c
Page 21 and 22: LXVIIISo much concerning the severa
Page 23 and 24: schools; but more silently and seve
Page 25 and 26: past finding out and beyond the rea
Page 27 and 28: most among the Greeks was but a bri
Page 29 and 30: way in it and wandering round and r
Page 31 and 32: (whereupon he repeats his trials to
Page 33 and 34: wherefore in the former it produces
Page 35 and 36: Nay, even if that jealousy were to
Page 37 and 38: transforms and digests it by a powe
Page 39 and 40: proceed in accordance with a fixed
Page 41 and 42: And here also should be remembered
Page 43 and 44: namely, that there is a great mass
Page 45 and 46: many new ones introduced, just as m
Page 47 and 48: And for things that are mean or eve
Page 49 and 50: For certainly chance has something
Page 51 and 52: history has been prepared and duly
Page 53 and 54: without superstition or imposture,
Page 55 and 56: that is not vegetable — we must c
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For instance: in all generation and
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Physics, Mechanics; to Metaphysics,
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24. Strong and well rectified spiri
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To the 2nd5. Let the experiment be
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To the 9th.15. In like manner to ho
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and exasperated by the water so as
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preparation for hotness. After that
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obliquely. And therefore the altitu
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34. The union of different heats in
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We must make, therefore, a complete
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10. On account of ignited iron, whi
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Again, our notion of fire is popula
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And this specific difference (of wh
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Among Prerogative Instances I will
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degrees than the diamond and other
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memory wonderfully, and exalt it fa
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Again, the roots and branches of pl
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qualities found in such things as m
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any other, but shall think that not
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will be a body in concrete, and the
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ight in asserting that the principa
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hang like the earth itself and not
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the earth, and again retreating int
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Again, let the nature investigated
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odies of exactly opposite natures;
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odies, the virtue, and the distance
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XLAmong Prerogative Instances I wil
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In like manner it appears that the
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means, many qualities are communica
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Among Prerogative Instances I will
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XLIVSo much for instances which aid
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There is also another kind of local
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odies merely white are instantly se
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Lastly, in all investigation of nat
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thereto by the application of cold,
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definition has a worse fault, inasm
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confines of the heavenly bodies; as
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space of time. The motions therefor
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descend and communicate itself to t
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all straight, or as they say point-
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mistake. For the air is not diminis
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though on the other hand these same
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stopped. Now the works of time are
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like. And in chemical experiments o
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need not be inquired into till we c
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Novum Organon

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