Bacon Practical Philosophy. i. the structure or division of the parts, a.

the platform of the good: “fruit of life”, gate of ivory

Human philosophy: of mind with body; of body; of mind

Of mind; nature of soul (religion); of faculties of soul
Of faculties of soul: sense, imagination (Janus-faced), reason
Of reason; judicial or theoretical, concerning understanding; and magistrals or practical, concerning the will, affects, and appetites
Of magistral or practical philosophy, between man segregate (morals) and man congregate (civil knowledge)

Moral philosophy (individuals) civil knowledge (men aggregate)

Simple and comparative

a. XX-XXI. Platform of the good b. Georgics or culture of the mind (how to get to the good)
(ancients do well: fetching portraits of the B. argues ancients neglect this, although necessary if philosophy to be lived
Good, simply –and comparatively, difft virtues,
difft ways of life, contrast of contemplative & active
[PTO]
yet Bacon asserts “double nature of good” for each thing (natphil par.)
: as an individual particular, private : and as part of a larger whole, public
XXI following Christianity, Bacon asserts priority of public
in which light, he i. argues against contemplative ideal
ii. criticises Socrates, Epicureans, Epictetus, Roman philosophers
priv-passive
nat desire to preserve self priv.-active public good: general duties particular duties of stations
(tied to sensual pleasure) nat desire to augment/ : family, marriage, professional,
reproduce self in works & offspring friendships “all other proportionate duties

passive-conservative passive-perfective comparatively, weighing competing duties

: serenity (the ancients) : aiming at perfection of form, in which context XXXI.9 praises Machiavelli,
“angelic”: ancients? Counsel = to prevent evil one must know evil;
To persuade the evil, you must know how to speak to them.
in which context B criticises ancients for “not breaking passions
sufficiently by contrary motions”
Bacon Practical Philosophy. i. the structure or division of the parts, b. the Georgics of the mind, husbandry of the fruits of life, gates of horn
Key component of criticism of Aristotle

a. platform of the good b. XXII Georgics or culture of the mind (how to get to the good)
B. argues “incredibly” ancients neglect this, although necessary if philosophy to be lived
[qualified exceptions for the Stoics on the passions, consolations …)
: first rule: divide what is in control; and not in control

XXII.3-6 Outside our control XXII.7: within our control

16-18 points “have force and operation upon the mind, to affect
Both omitted by Aristotle the will and appetite, and to alter manners”
i. points of nature: “wise and industrious suffering ii. points of fortune i. custom: in which context B attacks Ar. for depth of his
basis of actions conditions of actions pessimism about possible moral reform of those with bad
a: XXII.4 different natures, personality types & traits XXI.5 impressions of fortune, imposed by station start in life: Ar. right custom/habit vital, but no
 minds proportioned to many matters, others to few in life: sovereignty, nobility, obscurity, riches, want, ii. Exercises: B list 4 precepts as egs
 some can divide themselves: others few things at once; . magistracy, privateness, prosperity, adversity, constant : don’t aim too high; practice things at best
& worst
 minds best facing immediate challenges; others longer-term tasks fortune, variable fortune, rising by leap, of times; go to contrary extreme (mean);
persuade
 disposition to please or to cross in conversation rising more slowly… where poss. by indirect means
 disposition to take pleasure in good or ill of others xvi. Studies: cautions re educating too young in
ethics & policy
th
b. XXII.5 impressions of nature on mind, imposed by Bacon’s 17 : to fix and cherish good; to obliterate the evil
- sex – age –region – health, sickness – beauty, ugliness… a. to fix and cherish good, vows and resolutions
b. to obliterate evil, repentance, and premeditation (religious
c. the passions/affections: key to medicine of soul for B)
th
so in medicining of the mind, after knowledge of the divers Bacon’s 18 : to get the end right, reasonable to attain:
characters of men’s natures (XXI.5), it followeth in order to know the diseases as if a natural way to virtue [?]—charity as crown and union
&infirmities of the mind, which are no other than the perturbations & of all virtues.
distempers of the affections …” [straight, classical idea]
Ar. Criticized for dealing if at all with these, in the Rhetoric, not ethics

END PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY OF MEN SEGREGATE (AoL XX-XXII)

 Practical philosophy of men congregate: civil knowledge: in general, “most immersed in mater and hardliest reduced to axiom”
: & although aim here is good external, not necessarily purity of intentions or perfection of characters
i and ii Both untreated by ancients, or all but
i. Conversation/presentation of self (XXIII.3)
Govt of countenance & speech:
“…it ought to be made in fashion; it ought not to be
too curious; it ought to be shaped … to set forth any
good making of the mind and hide any deformity; &
 above all, it ought not to be too strait or
restrained for exercise or motion.”
XXIII.38 priorities here for “marshalling of
men’s pursuits towards their fortune”
i. self-knowledge, cultivation of self
ii. wealth and means
iii. reputation
iv. honors
:Although men in crowds can be moved en mass
3 parts
ii. XXIII.4-9: negotiation, business of life iii. science of government (secrecy high)
2 parts : dealt with by ancients, except
points of law (47-50)
i. particular business of life ii. “pressing of fortune”: KL as “hawk”
occasional, pr. counsel on P issues like: radical here: Roman precedents, spurs to industry
“of the marriage of a daughter, or of the “architecture of fortune”, nothing too low for kl
employing of a son, or of a purchase or i. Mommus’ window: obtaining kl of others
bargain, or of an accusation …” : natures, desires, ends, customs, fashions, helps, strengths,
Solomon’s 24 “eagle-like” precepts: on rising, weaknesses, friends, enemies, moods, times, principles, observations’
anger of others, friendship, legal judgments : their actions, when, which, how
Relations of superiors to inferiors, domestic affairs, means: slowness of trust and belief; trust words more in
works and words, the nature and attributes of a wise surprise; countenance over words; deeds over both; but
man (sapiens) even deeds with reserve.
: re transmission: the value of histories and letters : men known through hearsay: virtues through friends,
customs by servants, conceits by familiars; more through valets than
equals.
ii. self-kl: honest, impartial appraisal of : weak men known through natures, and princes [?];
strong men i. :abilities and virtues; how your nature through desires and ends [link kl dispositions XXII.4]
its with the times; professions; who are Principal means:
competitors; who to choose as friends (like i. to have general acquaintances with difft types folk
aims etc.; right egs ii. . balance openness and secrecy (too secret, the case of Pompei)
: kl of when and how to show ostentation iii. make note of all things and turn all to some use.
: kl of when too much is too much [39] Aim: “to make a better and freer choice of those actions which may
:and of the brevity and fragility of others’ appraisals concern us, and to conduct them with the less error and … more dexterity
: kl to cover one’s defects wisely (caution, color, confidence)
: kl when to bend compliantly with occasion, holding to
nothing too strictly XXIII.45: this description of
: [36 again] kl of when to disclose and when withhold information typical features of a “politic”
: always try to have “a window to fly out at” (41); be careful even of like portrait of princes.
your friends (42, Bias’ advice)
nb.: in this context 43: B distances this from Machiavellianism in qualified way:
these are bonae artes; we should always attends to means, leaving ends to providence