 |
|
     |
|
|
|
Stephen McKnight points out in his recent The Religious Foundations of Francis Bacon's Thought (University of Missouri, 2006) that Bacon dismissed classical Greek thought in favor of a knowledge both more ancient and more recent: "Bacon introduces another memorable image when he likens classical philosophy to an adolescent boy: both are sterile and incapable of producing or generating. This is, of course, an inversion of the Renaissance reverence for the classical age as a period of maturity and excellence, which must be recovered and emulated if humanity is to advance. Bacon, by contrast, portrays the classical period as humanity's childhood and disparages his contemporaries, who hold such a vaulted opinion of the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle. According to Bacon, the wisdom 'which we have derived principally from the Greeks is but like the boyhood of knowledge, and has the characteristic property of boys: it can talk, but it cannot generate.'"
Bacon proposed to move beyond classical thought and into generative maturity by drawing on resources more ancient than Plato and Aristotle.
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Tuesday, August 22, 2006 at 05:12 PM
Permission is given to use material on this site, provided the source is cited, blog entries are republished in full, and the author is notified in advance.
1 & 2 Kings
Brazos Theological Commentary
The Promise Of His Appearing: An Exposition Of Second Peter
A Great Mystery: Fourteen Wedding Sermons
Deep Comedy: Trinity, Tragedy, And Hope In Western Literature
Miniatures & Morals: The Christian Novels of Jane Austen
The Priesthood of the Plebs: A Theology of Baptism
A Son To Me: An Exposition of 1 & 2 Samuel
From Silence to Song: The Davidic Liturgical Revolution
Ascent to Love: A Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy
Blessed Are the Hungry: Meditations on the Lord's Supper
A House For My Name: A Survey of the Old Testament
Heroes of the City of Man: A Christian Guide to Select Ancient Literature
Brightest Heaven of Invention: A Christian Guide To Six Shakespeare Plays
Wise Words: Family Stories That Bring the Proverbs to Life
The Kingdom and the Power: Rediscovering the Centrality of the Church
