第 33 节
作者:京文      更新:2021-02-19 21:41      字数:9310
  theirs sinks into the ordinary commonplace of state or class relationships; because admission
  thereinto is outwardly determined。 The real matter is to remain faithful to one's aims。
  Section One: Modern Philosophy in its First Statement
  A。 BACON。
  There was already being accomplished the abandonment of the content which lies beyond us; and
  which through its form has lost the merit it possessed of being true; and is become of no
  significance to self…consciousness or the certainty of self and of its actuality; this we see for the first
  time consciously expressed; though not as yet in a very perfect form; by Francis Bacon; Baron
  Verulam; Viscount St。 Albans。 He is therefore instanced as in the fore…front of all this empirical
  philosophy; and even now our countrymen like to adorn their works with sententious sayings
  culled from him。 Baconian philosophy thus usually means a philosophy which is founded on the
  observation of the external or spiritual nature of man in his inclinations; desires; rational and judicial
  qualities。 From these conclusions are drawn; and general conceptions; laws pertaining to this
  domain; are thus discovered。 Bacon has entirely set aside and rejected the scholastic method of
  reasoning from remote abstractions and being blind to what lies before one’s eyes。 He takes as
  his standpoint the sensuous manifestation as it appears to the cultured man; as the latter reflects
  upon it; and this is conformable to the principle of accepting the finite and worldly as such。
  Bacon was born in London in 1561。 His progenitors and relatives held high office in the state; and
  his father was Keeper of the Great Seal to Queen Elizabeth。 He in his turn; having been educated
  to follow the same vocation; at once devoted himself to the business of the State; and entered
  upon an important career。 He early displayed great talent; and at the age of nineteen he produced
  a work on the condition of Europe (De statu Europ?)。 Bacon in his youth attached himself to the
  Earl of Essex; the favourite of Elizabeth; through whose support he; who as a younger son had to
  see his paternal estate pass to his elder brother; soon attained to better circumstances; and was
  elevated to a higher position。 Bacon; however; sullied his fame by the utmost ingratitude and
  faithlessness towards his protector; for he is accused of having been prevailed upon by the
  enemies of the Earl after his fall to charge him publicly with High Treason。 Under James I。; the
  father of Charles I。; who was beheaded; a weak man; to whom he recommended himself by his
  work De augmentis scientiarum; he received the most honourable offices of state by attaching
  himself to Buckingham: he was made Keeper of the Great Seal; Lord Chancellor of England;
  Baron Verulam。 He likewise made a rich marriage; though he soon squandered all his means; and
  high though his position was; he stooped to intrigues and was guilty of accepting bribes in the most
  barefaced manner。 Thereby he brought upon himself the ill…will both of people and of nobles; so
  that he was prosecuted; and his case was tried before Parliament。 He was fined L40;000; thrown
  into the Tower; and his name was struck out of the list of peers; during the trial and while he was
  in prison he showed the greatest weakness of character。 He was; however; liberated from prison;
  and his trial was annulled; owing to the even greater hatred of the king and his minister
  Buckingham; under whose administration Bacon had filled these offices; and whose victim he
  appeared to have been; for he fell earlier than his comrade Buckingham; and was deserted and
  condemned by him。 It was not so much his innocence as the fact that those who ruined him had
  made themselves hated to an equal degree through their rule; that caused the hatred and
  indignation against Bacon to be somewhat mitigated。 But he neither recovered his own sense of
  self…respect nor the personal esteem of others; which he had lost through his former conduct。 He
  retired into private life; lived in poverty; had to beg sustenance from the king; occupied himself
  during the remainder of his life with science only; and died in 1626。 (1)
  Since Bacon has ever been esteemed as the man who directed knowledge to its true source; to
  experience; he is; in fact; the special leader and representative of what is in England called
  Philosophy; and beyond which the English have not yet advanced。 For they appear to constitute
  that people in Europe which; limited to the understanding of actuality; is destined; like the class of
  shopkeepers and workmen in the State; to live always immersed in matter; and to have actuality
  but not reason as object。 Bacon won great praise by showing how attention is to be paid to the
  outward and inward manifestations of Nature; and the esteem in which his name is thus held is
  greater than can be ascribed directly to his merit。 It has become the universal tendency of the time
  and of the English mode of reasoning; to proceed from facts; and to judge in accordance with
  them。 Because Bacon gave expression to the tendency; and men require to have a leader and
  originator for any particular manner of thinking; he is credited with having given to knowledge this
  impulse towards experimental philosophy generally。 But many cultured men have spoken and
  thought regarding what concerns and interests mankind; regarding state affairs; mind; heart;
  external nature; &c。; in accordance with experience and in accordance with a cultured knowledge
  of the world。 Bacon was just such a cultured man of the world; who had seen life in its great
  relations; had engaged in state affairs; had dealt practically with actual life; had observed men; their
  circumstances and relations; and had worked with them as cultured; reflecting; and; we may even
  say; philosophical men of the world。 He thus did not escape the corruption of those who stood at
  the helm of the state。 With all the depravity of his character he was a man of mind and clear
  perception; he did not; however; possess the power of reasoning through thoughts and notions
  that are universal。 We do not find in him a methodical or scientific manner of regarding things; but
  only the external reasoning of a man of the world。 Knowledge of the world he possessed in the
  highest degree: “rich imagination; powerful wit; and the penetrating wisdom which he displays
  upon that most interesting of all subjects; commonly called the world。 This last appears to us to
  have been the characteristical quality of Bacon’s genius。 。 。 It was men rather than things that he
  had studied; the mistakes of philosophers rather than the errors of philosophy。 In fact he was no
  lover of abstract reasoning;” and although it pertains to philosophy; we find as little as possible of
  it in him。 “His writings are indeed full of refined and most acute observations; but it seldom requires
  any effort on our part to apprehend their wisdom。” Hence mottoes are often derived from him。
  “His judgments;” however; “are commonly given ex cathedra; or; if he endeavours to elucidate
  them; it is by similes and illustrations and pointed animadversions more than by direct and
  appropriate arguments。 General reasoning is absolutely essential in philosophy; the want of it is
  marked in Bacon’s writings。” (2) His practical writings are specially interesting; but we do not
  find the bright flashes of genius that we expected。 As during his career in the state he acted in
  accordance with practical utility; he now; at its conclusion; likewise applied himself in a practical
  way to scientific endeavours; and considered and treated the sciences in accordance with concrete
  experience and investigation。 His is a consideration of the present; he makes the most of; and
  ascribes value to it as it appears; the existent is thus regarded with open eyes; respect is paid to it
  as to what reigns preeminent; and this sensuous perception is reverenced and recognized。 Here a
  confidence on the part of reason in itself and in nature is awakened; it thinkingly applies itself to
  nature; certain of finding the truth in it; since both are in themselves harmonious。
  Bacon likewise treated the sciences methodically; he did not merely bring forward opinions and
  sentiments; he did not merely express himself regarding the sciences dogmatically; as a fine
  gentleman might; but he went into the matter closely; and established a method in respect of
  scientific knowledge。 It is only through this method of investigation introduced by him that he is
  noteworthy — it is in that way alone that he can be considered to belong to the history of the
  sciences and of philosophy。 And through this principle of methodical knowledge he has likewise
  produced a great effect upon his times; by drawing attention to what was lacking in the sciences;
  both in their methods and in their content。 He set forth the general principles of procedure in an
  empirical philosophy。 The spirit of the philosophy of Bacon is to take experience as the true and
  only source of knowledge; and then to regulate the thought concerning it。 Knowledge from
  experience stands in opposition to knowledge arising from the speculative Notion; and the
  opposition is apprehended