Roger Bacon

Roger Bacon
Bacon Bacon, Roger Bacon Roger Baconprop. n. Roger Bacon. A celebrated English philosopher of the thirteenth century. Born at or near Ilchester, Somersetshire, about 1214: died probably at Oxford in 1294. He is credited with a recognition of the importance of experiment in answering questions about the natural world, recognized the potential importance of gunpowder and explosives generally, and wrote comments about several of the physical sciences that anticipated facts proven by experiment only much later. [PJC]

The Franciscan monk, Roger Bacon (c. 1214 - 1294) was an important transitional figure in chemistry as he was trained in the alchemical tradition, but introduced many of the modern concepts of experimental science. Bacon believed that experiment was necessary to support theory, but for him the theory as presented in the Bible was true and the experiment only underlined that truth. One of Bacon's lasting contributions was his references to gunpowder, bringing this discovery to the general attention of literate Europeans. Gunpowder had been known for centuries in China, being used for fireworks and incendiary grenades. Gunpowder is a simple mixture of charcoal, sulfur, and potassium nitrate (known generally as saltpeter). Saltpeter is a major component of guano (bird droppings) and may be recovered from privies where it will crystallize. By 1324, Europeans had discovered the art of using gunpowder to fire a projectile, marking the end of the period of castles and knights in armor. --Prof. Tom Bitterwolf, Univ. of Idaho (Post-class notes, 1999). [PJC]

Roger Bacon was Born at or near Ilchester, Somersetshire, about 1214: died probably at Oxford in 1294. He was educated at Oxford and Paris (whence he appears to have returned to England about 1250), and joined the Franciscan order. In 1257 he was sent by his superiors to Paris where he was kept in close confinement for several years. About 1265 he was invited by Pope Clement IV. to write a general treatise on the sciences, in answer to which he composed his chief work, the "Opus Majus." He was in England in 1268. In 1278 his writings were condemned as heretical by a council of his order, in consequence of which he was again placed in confinement. He was at liberty in 1292. Besides the "Opus Majus," his most notable works are "Opus Minus," "Opus Tertium," and "Compendium Philosophiae." See Siebert, "Roger Bacon," 1861; Held, "Roger Bacon's Praktische Philosophie," 1881; and L. Schneider, "Roger Bacon," 1873. --Century Dict. 1906. [PJC]

Dr. Whewell says that Roger Bacon's Opus Majus is "the encyclopedia and Novam Organon of the Thirteenth Century, a work equally wonderful with regard to its general scheme and to the special treatises with which the outlines of the plans are filled up.[sb] The professed object of the work is to urge the necessity of a reform in the mode of philosophizing, to set forth the reasons why knowledge had not made a greater progress, to draw back attention to the sources of knowledge which had been unwisely neglected, to discover other sources which were yet almost untouched, and to animate men in the undertaking by a prospect of the vast advantages which it offered.[sb] In the development of this plan all the leading portions of science are expanded in the most complete shape which they had at that time assumed; and improvements of a very wide and striking kind are proposed in some of the principal branches of study.[sb] Even if the work had no leading purposes it would have been highly valuable as a treasure of the most solid knowledge and soundest speculations of the time; even if it bad contained no such details it would have been a work most remarkable for its general views and scope." --James J. Walsh (Thirteenth Greatest of Centuries, 1913. [PJC]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Roger Bacon — • Philosopher, born at Ilchester, Somersetshire, about 1214; died at Oxford, perhaps 11 June, 1294 Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Roger Bacon     Roger Bacon      …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • ROGER BACON — Polémiste infatigable, philosophe hardi, mathématicien, logicien, grammairien et expérimentateur accompli, Roger Bacon est la figure la plus originale de la pensée franciscaine du XIIIe siècle. Se disant lui même «très savant en toutes sciences»… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Roger Bacon —     Parmi les livres visés dans la condamnation de 1277 se trouvent des livres de géomancie et de nécromancie, ainsi que d’autres qui « contiennent des expériences de sortilèges, des invocations des démons ou des conjurations contre le péril des… …   Philosophie du Moyen Age

  • Roger Bacon —   [ rɔdʒə beɪkən], englischer Theologe und Naturphilosoph, Bacon, Roger …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Roger Bacon — (Ilchester, c. 1220 Oxford, 1292) Filósofo, científico y teólogo inglés. Estudió en Oxford y se trasladó a París (1236). Tras hacerse franciscano, comentó a Aristóteles y, desde 1247, se dedicó a …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Roger Bacon — For the Nova Scotia premier, see Roger Stuart Bacon. Roger Bacon Order of Friars Minor Statue of Roger Bacon in the Oxford University Museum Born c …   Wikipedia

  • Roger Bacon — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Bacon. Roger Bacon Roger Bacon (1214 1294), surnommé Doctor mirabilis (« Docteur admirable ») en raison de sa science …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Roger Bacon — Statue Roger Bacons, Universität Oxford: Museum für Naturgeschichte Roger Bacon (* 1214 nahe Ilchester in Somerset; † 1292 oder 1294 in Oxford), genannt Doctor Mirabilis (Latein: wunderbarer Lehrer ), war ein englischer Franziskaner Mönch und …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Roger Bacon — noun English scientist and Franciscan monk who stressed the importance of experimentation; first showed that air is required for combustion and first used lenses to correct vision (1220 1292) • Syn: ↑Bacon • Instance Hypernyms: ↑monk, ↑monastic,… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Roger Bacon High School — is a parochial high school in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA based in the Franciscan Tradition.This high school was dedicated in 1928, and was under the administration of and staffed by the Brothers and Priests of the Order of Friars Minor, and lay men… …   Wikipedia

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