The New Organon

True Directions Concerning The Interpretation of Nature

English · 1863 · 8h 30m · Philosophy, Science

In New Organon, Francis Bacon argues for a new way to investigate nature: instead of relying on inherited authorities and abstract reasoning, inquiry should begin with careful observation and proceed through evidence.

First published in 1620, the work takes its name from Aristotle’s Organon, a collection of writings on logic. Bacon challenges the dominance of syllogistic reasoning and sets out an inductive approach, in which observations are gathered and compared to build knowledge about the natural world.

Bacon also examines the habits and assumptions that can distort judgment, making this both a proposal for scientific inquiry and a critique of how people think. Its arguments offer a window into an important turning point in the history of science and philosophy.