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experience stands in opposition to knowledge arising from the speculative Notion； and the
opposition is apprehended in so acute a manner that the knowledge proceeding from the Notion is
ashamed of the knowledge from experience； just as this again takes up a position of antagonism to
the knowledge through the Notion。 What Cicero says of Socrates may be said of Bacon； that he
brought Philosophy down to the world； to the homes and every…day lives of men （Vol。 I。 p。 389）。
To a certain extent knowledge from the absolute Notion may assume an air of superiority over this
knowledge； but it is essential； as far as the Idea is concerned； that the particularity of the content
should be developed。 The Notion is an essential matter； but as such its finite side is just as
essential。 Mind gives presence； external existence； to itself； to come to understand this extension；
the world as it is； the sensuous universe； to understand itself as this； i。e。； with its manifest； sensuous
extension； is one side of things。 The other side is the relation to the Idea。 Abstraction in and for
itself must determine and particularize itself。 The Idea is concrete； self…determining； it has the
principle of development； and perfect knowledge is always developed。 A conditional knowledge
in respect of the Idea merely signifies that the working out of the development has not yet
advanced very far。 But we have to deal with this development； and for this development and
determination of the particular from the Idea； so that the knowledge of the universe； of nature； may
be cultivated — for this； the knowledge of the particular is necessary。 This particularity must be
worked out on its own account； we must become acquainted with empirical nature； both with the
physical and with the human。 The merit of modern times is to have accomplished or furthered
these ends； it was in the highest degree unsatisfactory when the ancients attempted the work。
Empiricism is not merely an observing； hearing； feeling； etc。； a perception of the individual； for it
really sets to work to find the species； the universal； to discover laws。 Now because it does this； it
comes within the territory of the Notion — it begets what pertains to the region of the Idea； it thus
prepares the empirical material for the Notion； so that the latter can then receive it ready for its
use。 If the science is perfected the Idea must certainly issue forth of itself； science as such no
longer commences from the empiric。 But in order that this science may come into existence； we
must have the progression from the individual and particular to the universal — an activity which is
a reaction on the given material of empiricism in order to bring about its reconstruction。 The
demand of a priori knowledge； which seems to imply that the Idea should construct from itself； is
thus a reconstruction only； or what is in religion accomplished through sentiment and feeling。
Without the working out of the empirical sciences on their own account； Philosophy could not
have reached further than with the ancients。 The whole of the Idea in itself is science as perfected
and complete； but the other side is the beginning； the process of its origination。 This process of the
origination of science is different from its process in itself when it is complete； just as is the process
of the history of Philosophy and that of Philosophy itself。 In every science principles are
commenced with； at the first these are the results of the particular； but if the science is completed
they are made the beginning。 The case is similar with Philosophy； the working out of the empirical
side has really become the conditioning of the Idea； so that this last may reach its full development
and determination。 For instance； in order that the history of the Philosophy of modern times may
exist； we must have a history of Philosophy in general； the process of Philosophy during so many
thousand years； mind must have followed this long； road in order that the Philosophy may be
produced。 In consciousness it then adopts the attitude of having cut away the bridge from behind
it； it appears to be free to launch forth in its other only； and to develop without resistance in this
medium； but it is another matter to attain to this ether and to development in it。 We must not
overlook the fact that Philosophy would not have come into existence without this process； for
mind is essentially a working upon something different。
1。 Bacon’s fame rests on two works。 In the first place； he has the merit of having in his work De
augmentis scientiarum presented to us a systematic encyclopedia of the sciences； an outline
which must undoubtedly have caused a sensation amongst his contemporaries。 It is important to
set before men’s eyes a well arranged picture such as this of the whole； when that whole has not
been grasped in thought。 This encyclopedia gives a general classification of the sciences； the
principles of the classification are regulated in accordance with the differences in the intellectual
capacities。 Bacon thus divides human learning according to the faculties of memory； imagination；
and reason； for he distinguishes what pertains （1） to memory； （2） to imagination； （3） to reason。
Under memory he considered history； under imagination； poetry； and art； and finally； under
reason； philosophy。 （3） According to his favourite method of division these again are further
divided； since he brings all else under these same heads； this is； however； unsatisfactory。 To
history belong the works of God — sacred； prophetic； ecclesiastical history； the works of men —
civil and literary history； and likewise the works of nature； and so on。 （4） He goes through these
topics after the manner of his time； a main characteristic of which is that anything can be made
plausible through examples； e。g。； from the Bible。 Thus； in treating of Cosmetica； he says in regard
to paint that “He is surprised that this depraved custom of painting has been by the penal laws both
ecclesiastical and civil so long overlooked。 In the Bible we read indeed of Jezebel that she painted
her face； but nothing of the kind is said of Esther or Judith。” （5） If kings； popes； etc。； are being
discussed； such examples as those of Ahab and Solomon must be brought forward。 As formerly in
civil laws — those respecting marriage； for instance — the Jewish forms held good； in Philosophy；
too； the same are still to be found。 In this work theology likewise appears as also magic； there is
contained in it a comprehensive system of knowledge and of the sciences。
The arrangement of the sciences is the least significant part of the work De augmentis
scientiarum。 It was by its criticism that its value was established and its effect produced； as also
by the number of instructive remarks contained in it； all this was at that time lacking in the
particular varieties of learning and modes of discipline； especially in as far as the methods hitherto
adopted were faulty； and unsuitable to the ends in view： in them the Aristotelian conceptions of the
schools were spun out by the understanding as though they were realities。 As it was with the
Schoolmen and with the ancients； this classification is still the mode adopted in the sciences； in
which the nature of knowledge is unknown。 In them the idea of the science is advanced
beforehand； and to this idea a principle foreign to it is added； as a basis of division； just as here is
added the distinction between memory； imagination and reason。 The true method of division is
found in the self…division of the Notion； its separating itself from itself。 In knowledge the moment of
self…consciousness is undoubtedly found； and the real self…consciousness has in it the moments of
memory； imagination and reason。 But this division is certainly not taken from the Notion of
self…consciousness； but from experience； in which self…consciousness finds itself possessed of
these capacities。
2。 The other remarkable feature in Bacon is that in his second work； his Organon； he sought at
great length to establish a new method in learning； in this regard his name is still held greatly in
honour by many。 What chiefly distinguishes his system is his polemical attitude towards scholastic
methods as they had hitherto existed； towards syllogistic forms。 He calls these methods
anticipationes natur？； in them men begin with pre…suppositions； definitions； accepted ideas； with
a scholastic abstraction； and reason further from these without regarding that which is present in
actuality。 Thus regarding God and His methods of operating in nature； regarding devils； &c。； they
make use of passages from the Bible； such as “Sun； stand thou still；” in order to deduce
therefrom certain metaphysical propositions from which they go further still。 It was against this a
priori method that Bacon directed his polemic； as against these anticipations of nature he called
attention to the explanation； the interpretation of nature。 （6） “The same action of mind；” he says；
“which discovers a thing in question； judges it； and the operation is not performed by the help of
any middle term； but directly； almost in the same manner as by the sense。 For the sense in its
pri