Abstract

The goal of this study is to correct the view of Bacon as a political and philosophical power-monger. The argument is not that Bacon did all of his intellectual work out of pure love of truth, but that he was sober about the possible delusions of ambition, rule, and power. Bacon did not reject the need for philosophy's rule over society and religion---indeed, that seemed a necessity to him in his time---but he did not expect this rule to solve the fundamental human problems. His critique of the concern with justice, of the passionate care for others, of hopefulness as such, and of the possibility of immortality, together with his qualified praise of moderation and fortitude, suggests that he kept a sober distance from the wildly utopian hopes associable with the modern project for progress. Yet this study is meant only to correct the traditional view of Bacon, not to replace it. Whatever his initial or primary motivation for the promotion of the project of progress , a part of Bacon ended up, or perhaps always inclined towards, restlessly throwing itself into the project and becoming bewitched with its promise. Bacon was sober, but not sober enough. To the extent that he believed in the radical transformative power of the new science, Bacon was also ultimately affected by its questionable theoretical premises