Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626): Father of the Scientific Method

"KNOWLEDGE IS POWER" FRANCIS BACON

He emphasizes the importance of empirical evidence and observation 

or experience rather than theory!

Empirical evidence derived from experiment and observation rather than theory.

Hypothesis = A process beginning with an educated guess.

If a hypothesis is repeatedly independently demonstrated by experiment to be true, it becomes a scientific theory. The words "hypothesis" and "theory" are often used interchangeably, but this is incorrect. 

Theory = speculation / contemplation, hypothesis

 set of statements or principles devised to explain a group of facts or phenomena 

  1. Theory as opposed to practice. "a fine musician who had never studied theory."
  2. Abstract reasoning; speculation.

A doctrine, or scheme of things, which terminates in speculation or contemplation,

without a view to practice; hypothesis; speculation. "the theory of music"

Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626): Father of the Scientific

Method • No a priori assumptions:

“If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts, but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties.”

• Primacy of empirical observations • Develop a theory • Express it in mathematics

• Experimentation (test the theory) Inductive reasoning: Look at lots of evidence and from these, infer a general principle.

"KNOWLEDGE IS POWER" FRANCIS BACON

He emphasizes the importance of empirical evidence and observation 

or experience rather than theory!