More Bacon

Earlier in the week, we discussed and made comparisons between Descartes and Bacon’s view on Christianity. The question was raised as to which of the two made more of an effort to defend and express their Christian beliefs. In the context of Bacon’s New Atlantis, the patron’s of his perfect society are all under the same beliefs and truth of Christianity. However, because they have received this information as a definite “Truth” (Saint Bartholomew), the society of New Atlantis, no longer questions the existence of the one God and his word. In this, the society has been able to focus on discovering scientific causes and effects of “God’s creations” and in essence has been able to dismiss religion. In contrast, in Part 4 of Descartes Meditations, he makes an ontological argument for the existence of God. Through his argument, he delves deep into defending God’s existence similar to that of Saint Anselm’s idea of “that which nothing greater can be thought.” Where Bacon is dismissive, Descartes is offensive in his belief in God.