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Single Idea 12126

[filed under theme 15. Nature of Minds / C. Capacities of Minds / 5. Generalisation by mind ]

Full Idea

It is the nature of the mind of man (to the extreme prejudice of knowledge) to delight in the spacious liberty of generalities, as in a champaign region, and not in the inclosures of particularity.

Clarification

'Champaign regions' are open fields, and 'inclosures' are fenced in

Gist of Idea

People love (unfortunately) extreme generality, rather than particular knowledge

Source

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

Book Ref

Bacon,Francis: 'Advancement of Learning/New Atlantis' [OUP 1966], p.115

A Reaction

I have to plead guilty to this myself. He may have pinpointed the key motivation behind philosophy. We all want to know things, as Aristotle said, but some of us want the broad brush, and others want the fine detail.

Related Idea

Idea 15970 People generalise because it is easier to understand, and that is mistaken for deep philosophy [Feynman]

The 20 ideas from Francis Bacon

12117 Science moves up and down between inventions of causes, and experiments [Bacon]
12119 Physics studies transitory matter; metaphysics what is abstracted and necessary [Bacon]
12120 Physics is of material and efficient causes, metaphysics of formal and final causes [Bacon]
12118 Essences are part of first philosophy, but as part of nature, not part of logic [Bacon]
12121 We don't assume there is no land, because we can only see sea [Bacon]
12123 Natural history supports physical knowledge, which supports metaphysical knowledge [Bacon]
12124 Metaphysics is the best knowledge, because it is the simplest [Bacon]
12125 Teleological accounts are fine in metaphysics, but they stop us from searching for the causes [Bacon]
12126 People love (unfortunately) extreme generality, rather than particular knowledge [Bacon]
12127 Many different theories will fit the observed facts [Bacon]
3648 Empiricists are collecting ants; rationalists are spinning spiders; and bees do both [Bacon]
16724 The senses deceive, but also show their own errors [Bacon]
6602 Philosophy is like a statue which is worshipped but never advances [Bacon]
6603 Nature is revealed when we put it under pressure rather than observe it [Bacon]
16639 Only individual bodies exist [Bacon]
21950 Science must clear away the idols of the mind if they are ever going to find the truth [Bacon]
16033 There are only individual bodies containing law-based powers, and the Forms are these laws [Bacon]
7399 Even without religion, there are many guides to morality [Bacon]
16624 Stripped and passive matter is just a human invention [Bacon]
16625 In hylomorphism all the explanation of actions is in the form, and the matter doesn't do anything [Bacon]