Single Idea 12117

[catalogued under 14. Science / A. Basis of Science / 3. Experiment]

Full Idea

All true and fruitful natural philosophy hath a double scale or ladder, ascendent and descendent, ascending from experiments to the invention of causes, and descending from causes to the invention of new experiments.

Gist of Idea

Science moves up and down between inventions of causes, and experiments

Source

Francis Bacon (The Advancement of Learning [1605], II.VII.1)

Book Reference

Bacon,Francis: 'Advancement of Learning/New Atlantis' [OUP 1966], p.106


A Reaction

After several hundred years, I doubt whether anyone can come up with a better account of scientific method than Bacon's.