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Ideas for 'The Advancement of Learning', 'Inquiry Concerning Virtue or Merit' and 'De Anima'

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12. Knowledge Sources / D. Empiricism / 1. Empiricism

12121	We don't assume there is no land, because we can only see sea [Bacon]
	Full Idea: They are ill discoverers that think there is no land, when they can see nothing but sea.
	From: Francis Bacon (The Advancement of Learning [1605], II.VII.5)
	A reaction: Just the sort of pithy remark for which Bacon is famous. It is an obvious point, but a nice corrective to anyone who wants to apply empirical principles in a rather gormless way.