Francis Bacon: From Magic to Science (Routledge Library Editions: History & Philosophy of Science)

Originally published in 1968. This volume discusses Francis Bacon’s thought and work in the context of the European cultural environment that influenced Bacon’s philosophy and was in turn influenced by it. It examines the influence of magical and alchemical traditions on Bacon and his opposition to these traditions, as well as illustrating the naturalist, materialist and ethico-political patterns in Bacon’s allegorical interpretations of fables.