Thomas Jefferson called Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) "one of the three greatest men the world has known" and French philosopher Voltaire praised Bacon as "the father of experimental philosophy."

Born in London, the esteemed Bacon was a scholar, scientist, and philosopher who dedicated his life to the renewal of education. He said, "Knowledge itself is power."

Bacon is best known for developing the "new" scientific method of solving problems with inductive logic. Inspired by his strong dislike of Aristotle's deductive philosophy, Bacon wrote The Advancement of Learning (1605) and Novum Organum (1620). Both examined knowledge and learning.

"Write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come unsought for are commonly the most valuable," said Bacon, who called himself "the trumpheter of a new age." He studied law and joined Parliament in 1584.

"Whoever is out of patience is out of possession of his soul," he said. "Men must not turn into bees, and kill themselves in stinging others."

In 1785, writer James Willmot suggested that Bacon authored the works of Shakespeare. Scholars dismiss this Baconian theory as unlikely.

"Life is a coin," Bacon once said. "You can spend it any way you wish, but you can spend it only once."

More Francis BACON Quotations

You're far from finished: Live!