Comparing New Organon And An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
Human beings are a species of never-ending collections of information and facts. This information is later taken and programmed into a person’s mind, and thus, knowledge is formed. Everyday that an idea is learned, knowledge expands, causing a continuous cycle of information collection. Francis Bacon’s New Organon and John Locke’s “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding” both raise questions on how knowledge is acquired and understood. Locke believes knowledge is retrieved through experiences in one’s life, yet Bacon argues that knowledge is both innate and through experiences. Bacon does this by comparing the scientists to three distinct creatures: the ant, spider, and bee, claiming that the bee is the most essential of the three. Bacon’s …show more content…
While this an effective way to acquire knowledge, it is not possible for human beings to acquire all of their knowledge simply through experience. There are some ideas that are innate. Consequently, Locke’s claim is not as strong as Bacon’s. Bacon represents this type of learning through the stealthy collector ant. He compares the scientists who use experiments to the ants ( Bacon 93). Similar to the ants, the experimentalists gather outside data to draw conclusions. They do not use their own knowledge or thoughts. However, the ant is admirable because it is efficient. Although, there is no exact use for the data that is being collected. They continue to collect, which if there ever were a purpose would be very useful. Similarly, Locke’s claim of a posteriori knowledge is a knowledge that is endless. In his essay. Locke states, “Whence has it all the materials of reason and knowledge? To this I answer in one word, from experience; in that all our knowledge is founded and from that it ultimately derives itself” (Locke 189). He argues that all knowledge originates from outside events, rather than from the mind. However, knowledge is such an abstract and widespread idea that it would be impossible to acquire it all in one place Locke would agree with the ant because it is gaining knowledge from an outside source, through deductive
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