Ideas from 'Cogitata et Visa' by Francis Bacon [1607], by Theme Structure

[found in 'Rationalism' by Cottingham,John [Paladin 1984,0-586-08439-8]].

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12. Knowledge Sources / D. Empiricism / 1. Empiricism
Empiricists are collecting ants; rationalists are spinning spiders; and bees do both
                        Full Idea: Empiricists are like ants; they collect and put to use; but rationalists, like spiders, spin threads out of themselves. (…and bees follow the middle way, of collecting material and transforming it).
                        From: Francis Bacon (Cogitata et Visa [1607])
                        A reaction: Nice (and so concisely expressed). Bees seem to be just more intelligent and energetic empiricists.