Regnum Hominis (Francis Bacon's Imperial project)

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleRegnum Hominis (Имперский проект Фрэнсиса Бэкона)
3. Language term Russian
4. lemma author Saprykin, Dmitry
5. lemma category Concepts of knowledge and modes of reasoning > Philosophy of science/epistemology
6. Publication date 2001
7. lemma work Saprykin, Dmitry [Author]. Regnum Hominis (Francis Bacon's Imperial project)
8. lemma manifestations Regnum Hominis. Имперский проект Фрэнсиса Бэкона.
9. Keywords Bacon Francis
10. Citations
    1. http://indrik.ru/collection/2001/product/saprykin-d-l-regnum-hominis-imperskij-proekt-frensisa-bekona
11. Lemma body

    1. In his book D.L.Saprykin considers the Francis Bacon’s project of the science and education reform to be an integral project rooted in New-Europian cultural, theological and imperial background. From the author’s point of view Baconian project included three aspects: 1) “Metaphysical”, 2) “Organizational” and 3) “Methodological”.

       The main “metaphysical” ground of the Bacon’s project is based on the idea of the “Kingdom of man”. In Bacon’s philosophy the term “Kingdom of man” has two meanings. Firstly, the “Kingdom of man” is a regime of power above the nature and means “the sovereignty of man”. Secondly, it implies special “unity” of the science in contrast to dissidence and “controversies” of the intellectual “sects” prevailing before. Both aspects are developed in Bacon’s works and are equally important to understand them.

       The concept of “Regnum hominis” – “The Kingdom of man” correlates with Bacon’s interpretation of “the Kingdom of England” and his understanding of “the Kingdom of God”. This concept is deeply rooted in theological, metaphysical, political and juridical context examined in the book.

       Partly the idea that science must be unite corresponds to the Bacon’s apology of the unity of the State and the Church of England. The concept of man’s sovereignty and power above the nature has a theological aspect too. This is the “metaphysical” aspect of Bacon’s project.

       The “organizational” aspect is the Bacon’s design of new scientific and educational organization – “the scientific order”, as the author calls it. The outline of the new organization depends on the concept of “the Kingdom of man” and has a special structure which corresponds to it. In his book Saprykin works on the problem of historical prototypes of the new scientific organization of Baconian design. The author hypothesis is that the main prototype for Bacon was the order of Jesuits. However “Societas Jesu” was not the only prototype of Bacon’s design. In this context “Rosen-Crucial” hypothesis of F.A.Yates may also be considered. The other aspect of the Bacon’s outline roots problem is the interdependance of his project of science and education reform and his plan of the law system and the England Church reform. Saprykin’s investigation proves that all the three projects have the same foundation.

       The third aspect is a “methodological” one. The word “method” derived from the Greek word ‘odos’ (the way) which in the Bacon’s case means the way to “the kingdom of man”. Therefore it must: 1) provide progressive movement of science forward to its “Great instauration”; 2) by means of special mind purification achieve the universal and representative “Interpretation of Nature” and through the latter – the unity of the science; 3) finally, the method must provide the mankind with power above nature.

       This method can be considered as sui generis “scientific ascesis”. This kind of ascesis has some features similar to the traditional religious ascesis, but disagrees with it in other important features.