Baconian method

Baconian method
induction (def. 4a).

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      methodical observation of facts as a means of studying and interpreting natural phenomena. This essentially empirical method was formulated early in the 17th century by Francis Bacon, an English philosopher, as a scientific substitute for the prevailing systems of thought, which, to his mind, relied all to often on fanciful guessing and the mere citing of authorities to establish truths of science. After first dismissing all prejudices and preconceptions, Bacon's method, as explained in Novum Organum (1620; “New Instrument”), consisted of three main steps: first, a description of facts; second, a tabulation, or classification, of those facts into three categories—instances of the presence of the characteristic under investigation, instances of its absence, or instances of its presence in varying degrees; third, the rejection of whatever appears, in the light of these tables, not to be connected with the phenomenon under investigation and the determination of what is connected with it.

      Bacon may be credited with recognizing, in their essence, the method of agreement, the joint method, and the method of concomitant variations. His emphasis on the exhaustive cataloguing of facts, however, has since been replaced as a scientific method, for it provided no means of bringing investigation to an end or of insightful delimitation of the problem by creative use of hypotheses.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Baconian method — Baconian Ba*co ni*an, n. 1. One who adheres to the philosophy of Lord Bacon. [Webster 1913 Suppl.] 2. One who maintains that Lord Bacon is the author of the works commonly attributed to Shakespeare. [Webster 1913 Suppl.] {Baconian method}, the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Baconian method — The Baconian method is the investigative method developed by Francis Bacon. It is an early forerunner of the scientific method. The method was put forward in Bacon s book Novum Organum , or New Instrument , and was supposed to replace the methods …   Wikipedia

  • Baconian method — The method of induction advocated by Francis Bacon, especially in Part II of the Novum Organon . The aim of science is to establish laws; for this purpose an exhaustive enumeration of instances of phenomena, together with the way in which they… …   Philosophy dictionary

  • Baconian method — Logic. induction (def. 4a) …   Useful english dictionary

  • Baconian — Ba*co ni*an, n. 1. One who adheres to the philosophy of Lord Bacon. [Webster 1913 Suppl.] 2. One who maintains that Lord Bacon is the author of the works commonly attributed to Shakespeare. [Webster 1913 Suppl.] {Baconian method}, the inductive… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Baconian System of Philosophy —     The Baconian System of Philosophy     † Catholic Encyclopedia ► The Baconian System of Philosophy     This system takes its name from its founder, Francis Bacon, Lord Verulam, Viscount St. Albans, statesman and philosopher, born 22 January,… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Baconian theory — The Baconian theory of Shakespearean authorship holds that Sir Francis Bacon wrote the plays conventionally attributed to William Shakespeare.The mainstream view is that William Shakespeare of Stratford, an actor in the Lord Chamberlain s Men… …   Wikipedia

  • Baconian — [beɪ kəʊnɪən] adjective 1》 relating to the English philosopher Sir Francis Bacon (1561–1626) or his inductive method of reasoning and philosophy. 2》 relating to or denoting the theory that Bacon wrote the plays attributed to Shakespeare. noun 1》… …   English new terms dictionary

  • baconian induction — noun Usage: usually capitalized B : the inductive method developed by Francis Bacon that consists in inferring that what has been observed or established in respect to a part, individual, or species may on the ground of analogy be affirmed or… …   Useful english dictionary

  • baconian — adj. & n. adj. of or relating to the English philosopher Sir Francis Bacon (d. 1626), or to his inductive method of reasoning and philosophy. n. 1 a supporter of the view that Bacon was the author of Shakespeare s plays. 2 a follower of Bacon …   Useful english dictionary

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