Chapter 27 Section 14

four one (18) The Case of the Journey—This is also called the Case of the Journey and the Case by Verse. ① Such instances point to the gradual course of natural motion.Such an instance is not so much that it escapes the senses as that it is left unobserved.People are curiously careless in this regard.Their study of nature turns out to be of workings and breaks, viewed in isolation; and always after objects have been finished and finished, and not as nature works on them. However, if a person really wants to study the plan and efforts of a craftsman, he will not be satisfied with just seeing the raw materials and the finished products of this craft, but must be more willing to watch the craftsman on the spot how he works and how he works. working.

The same approach should be followed in the inquiry of nature.For example, if we want to study the growth of plants, we must first pay attention to and observe the seeds from the moment of sowing (this is very easy to do, you can take out the seeds buried in the ground day by day, and carefully examine them. How about the second day, how about the third day, the fourth day and so on) when and how it starts to vomit and expand, how it becomes like full of essence; the second step is to see how it starts to break through the epidermis , release fibers, and grow slightly upward at the same time, as long as the soil is not too hard; when it comes to spitting out fibers, it depends on how some of them grow downward into roots, some upward into stems, and some in softer soil. How does the place go sideways; and there are many other things of this kind.And as regards the hatching of eggs, we should investigate in the same way.Here we will easily observe how the whole process of activation and organization is done; we will see which parts are developed from the yolk and which from the albumen.Again, in order to inquire about the animal produced by putrefaction,2 we should follow the same path. ③As for the complete animal ④to carry out this kind of inquiry method, if the fetus is cut out from the womb, it is of course too inhumane, ⑤This can only be done by providing some opportunities such as abortion or hunting.

Nature, therefore, in this respect is likened to a nocturnal reconnaissance, for it reveals more at night than in the day; The candlelight in the house is weak, but it is constantly lit. ① Fleur pointed out that the case of this journey is difficult to distinguish from the case of migration (Book II, Article 23); it may be said that the former involves the initial process of observation, while the latter involves the subsequent process of reasoning. Both cases, Kachin points out, touch on the realm of occult processes, which Bacon also touches on at the end of this article. See Volume Two, Article Six. - translator

②Caesalpinus (Caesalpinus, 1519-1603, Italian natural philosopher) believed that all animals can be born from decay, and called this Aristotle’s theory, see the author Book "Quaestine Peripat" Volume V Chapter 1.This opinion of Aristotle seems to have been further developed by Averrois (1126-1198, Arabian physician and philosopher).Cardan (Cardan, 1501-1576, Italian physician and mathematician) asserted that mice can reproduce naturally, which is indisputable, see the book "De Rerum Varietate".Kaisapina also mentioned the case of rats, but not as confidently as Cardan.It is worth pointing out that although Aristotle talked about the great fecundity of mice, and even said that mice were born by licking salt, he did not mention that mice might be produced by putrefaction.Paracelsus (1493-1541, Swiss physician and alchemist) also said that all animals produced by decay are more or less poisonous.Teresias, on the other hand, states that more complete animals cannot be produced by putrefaction, because the temperature conditions necessary for their production cannot be satisfied except by the heat of the animal body.

③ (Fuller noted that Aristotle’s views on the origin of animal life can be found in "Historia Animalium" The first chapter of the fifth volume of a book.His theory of natural reproduction can be found not only in this book, but also in "De Generatione Animalium", especially Chapter 16 of Volume 1 and Chapter 11 of Volume 3.He has said that natural procreation is due to the moisture in decaying matter; and that the eel is the only animal that has blood and yet is neither concilic nor oviparous, and so on. Fleur went on to point out that Bacon also seems to believe in the theory that animals are born of decay. English translation of "The Complete Works of Bacon", Volume II, page 264).Until Browne (Sir Thomas Bronre, 1605-1682, British doctor and religious thinker) wrote "Enquiries in to Vulgar and Common Errors" (Inquiries in to Vulgar and Common Errors, published in 1646, No. 1 edition) seems to be accepted without question.For example, he said: "Ox rots and turns into bees, and horses rot and turns into wasps, neither appearing with their original image. The sweat excreted from the human body transforms into lice." There are also similar words. (See Chapter VI of Volume II).

He even seems to have believed that rats reproduce naturally (see Book III, Chapter 28). The above theories, until Harvey (W. Harvey, 1578-1657, a famous British doctor, the discoverer of blood circulation) published his great treatise "De Generatione Animalium" in 1651. It will finally be clarified later. - translator ) ④ The so-called complete animal generally refers to the kind of animal that cannot be born from decay. ⑤Fleur noted that Bacon was not opposed to vivisection. There is a passage in the book "New Atlantis", which begins with the following sentences: "We still have many gardens, where we keep all kinds of animals, not only as rare ornamental objects, but also for dissection experiments, so as to find out what can be done to the human body. We see here many marvelous results: such as the continuation of life by the removal of parts which seem to be vital, or the resurrection of certain apparently dead animals, and the like. We Poisons and other medicines were also tried on them, both externally and internally" (English translation, Bacon's Collected Works, Vol. III, p. 159). There is a more obvious passage in "De Augmentis Scienliarum", to the effect that on the one hand, he accepted Celsas's condemnation of dissecting living people, and on the other hand, he believed that the utilitarian and humane views could be reconciled by vivisection of animals. Get up (see pages 593-594 of the first volume of the English translation of Bacon's Complete Works). - translator

The same attempt should be made with inanimate plastids.I have done this myself in the investigation of the expansion of liquids by fire. ①Water expands in one way, wine in another, vinegar in a different way, sour wine in a different way, and milk and oil in very different ways. ②As long as they are placed in glass containers (where everything can be clearly distinguished), and gradually boiled with a slow fire, these different processes can be easily seen.Of these things I will now mention only briefly; I intend to treat them more precisely later when I come to the secret process of discovering things. ③Readers should always think that I am not discussing the things themselves here, but just giving examples. ① Fleur pointed out that expansion was a term commonly used by chemists at that time, referring to the changes experienced by one kind of plastid after receiving another plastid. - translator

②Fleur notes, see "Historia Densiet Rari", English translation "The Complete Works of Bacon", Volume II, pages 268-269. - translator ③ Fleur noted, see the last section of Article 52 of Volume Two.This part of the book, Bacon did not write. - translator four two (19) Remedial or Substitute Cases—This is also called a flight case. Such instances can inform us when the senses are utterly incapable; so we flee to it for a remedy when we seek a special instance and cannot find it.There are two alternatives: one is approaching step by step, and the other is analogy. ②For example, the action of a magnet attracting iron cannot be completely blocked by the entry of any intermediate object.Putting gold in the middle does not stop it, neither does silver, stone, glass, wood, water, oil, cloth, or fibers of any kind, nor air, fire, etc., stop it.But by careful experimentation we may see that some intermediates weaken the virtue of the lodestone more than any other, relatively, of course, that is, to a certain degree.

For example, a magnet may not attract iron as easily through a piece of gold as through air occupying the same space, or through a burning piece of silver as through a cold one; and whatnot.I have not done these experiments myself.But it will suffice here to present such experiments as examples of surrogate examples. ③For another example, there is no body known to us that does not absorb heat when it is placed near a fire.But air absorbs heat much faster than stone. ④ These are examples of substitution by gradual approach. ① Kachin pointed out that people would think that the various degree scales mentioned in Volume 2, Article 13 have this function. ——Translator ② On the point of analogy, Kachin pointed out that Bishop Butler (Joseph Butler, 1692-1752, a famous British theologian) used the laws of nature to infer God’s An inquiry into moral and religious law.False analogies, that is, apparent rather than true analogies, have never been more tempting and dangerous than on all subjects, which have been a constant source of error.Analogy must be limited to the strict limit of homogeneity, otherwise it will lead to errors.Beyond this limit, analogy can of course give some inspiration and point out some possibilities; but within this limit, the argument of analogy is strong and almost conclusive.Harvey's great discovery, for example, was to infer from seeing what the valves in plants are to sap that the valves in veins are to blood.the two plots

are homogeneous, that is to say, this is a principle of biological growth, and these two episodes are under the same law. - translator ③Air is a very poor heat conductor. See the notes under Articles 18 and 20 of Article 12 of Volume 2 and Articles 3 and 5 of Article 13.Speaking of stones, Fleur pointed out that Bacon generalized stones without distinguishing any kind of stones, which is too careless. - translator ④Fleur points out that the question raised by Bacon has not even been answered so far, because there are always various influences when conducting experiments, which are the most difficult.However, when a magnet attracts iron at a distance, if it is blocked by bismuth, or what is generally called a diamagnetic substance, we may see a little perceptible influence on the effect, if we have sufficiently powerful instruments and adequate means of measurement.Both gold and silver belong to the list of diamagnetic substances. - translator

The use of analogy as a substitute is no doubt useful, but it is less accurate and should therefore be applied with some judgment.By analogy, things that are not immediately perceivable are brought within the sphere of the senses, not by perceptible actions on the insensible body itself, but by the perceivable bodies of its kind Make some observations. ①For example.Suppose we are investigating a mixture of spirits, which are invisible bodies.We first know that there seems to be a definite kinship between a body and the matter that feeds or nourishes it. We also know that the food of the flame seems to be oil and fatty substances, and the food of air seems to be water and watery substances; ②For the flame is multiplied by the volatilization of oil, and the air is multiplied by the evaporation of water.Therefore, since the mingling of air and fire is beyond the reach of the senses, we come to the mingling of water and oil, which is manifestly presented to our senses.Now look at oil and water, which are so imperfectly blended when blended or stirred, yet are blended very delicately and delicately in grasses, and in the blood and limbs of animals. From this, it can be inferred that the mixture of flame and air in the gas may also have a similar situation.That is to say, although the two are not easily fused together in a simple amalgamation, they seem to be fused together in the spirits of plants and animals; As its proper feed, Jianrun just contains the two properties of water and fat. Suppose further that we are not looking for a better mixture of gases, but for their combination; Gas, or some other gas, does not mix with ordinary air, but remains suspended there in the form of small balls and dots, which not only cannot enter or merge with the air, but are actually destroyed by the destruction of the air.This matter, when viewed from the ordinary air and other gases, cannot be manifested to the senses because they are too subtle.However, if we use insinuation or borrowed observation, we can also imagine how far this matter will go. We can learn from what happens to some liquids such as mercury, oil or water, from the splitting of the air into the water and bubbles, from the thicker smoke, and finally from the dusty air in the air. Situation—①Du Bois Raymond's research on animal electricity is a good example.Raymond made a muscular electrical model, which not only exemplified his basic conclusion that any cross-section has a negative-electric relationship to any longitudinal plane, but also made the relationship between two different parts of the same section An example is also obtained for the more complex relationship among them. (Fuller notes that there is a good example in modern science, which is to apply shock or wave to heat, light, sound, etc. Fleur also pointed out that Bacon's first example below is purely fantasy. The analogy in the second case is quite in line with the facts. - Translator ) ② Refer to the last example of Article 36 of Volume II and the related notes below. - translator ③ Fleur commented that the so-called living essence, Bacon believed that it was composed of air and flame. - translator From these circumstances we may imagine how far this would have taken place; and in all the above-mentioned episodes we see that no merger took place.It may be remarked that the borrowing which I have given here is not unhelpful for the present problem, if we first inquire whether or not such singularities as are found in liquids can exist in gases; If there are, then analogy can be applied without inconvenience to treat these allusions as substitute instances. As regards these remedial cases, though I have said that they are only informative as a last resort when special cases are lacking, I would like it to be understood that they are of great use even when special cases are at hand. , I mean that it is still of great use in corroborating the information presented by the former. Of these I shall discuss in more detail when I have followed the proper course to some of the pillars of induction. ① See Volume 2, Article 2.According to the original plan, this part was immediately after the priority cases, but Bacon never wrote it. - translator four three (20) The case of division—this is also called the case of awakening in another sense.By awakening, I mean that it awakens the understanding; by dividing, I mean that it divides nature; in the latter sense I sometimes call it a Democridian case. ②①The Kachin commentary says that some things are so delicate and subtle that they often escape people's attention; such cases force people to pay attention. - translator ② Kachin noted that this refers to its atomic theory, see Volume 5.1. - translator Such instances remind the understanding of the wonderful subtleties of nature, and thus stir it, and arouse it to notice, to observe, and to make proper inquiries.Examples are as follows: a small drop of ink can make such writing or lines.The gilded silver can be stretched out into long gilded threads. ①Small worms like those seen in the skin ②have essence and have altered tissues.A little saffron can dye a bucket of water red.A little musk or civet secretions can smoke a large area of ​​air.A stick of incense will be filled with smoke like a cloud.All kinds of sounds with extremely fine differences, such as spoken words with many syllables, can be broadcast in all directions through the air, and can even pass through the pores of wood and water after being considerably weakened; It is also very clear and fast.Light and color can pass through solid bodies such as glass and water at a very high speed and in a large range with a variety of rich and delicate images, and they are also bent and reflected back.And the action of the magnetite can penetrate all kinds of objects, even the most compact ones. Looking at all the above, it is particularly strange that on the one hand, they all seem to pass through an intermediate object that treats no discrimination (such as air), and on the other hand, their respective activities do not involve each other.That is to say, at the same time, there are so many visible objects rushing through the air space; ③ clear syllables; various aromas that can be discerned, such as the aroma of violets, roses, etc.; Feelings of heat and cold; and, moreover, the influence of the magnet: everything (I say) moves simultaneously, without interfering with each other, as if each had its own way and way, and never collided with each other. But it is also useful to add some examples of what I call the limited division after these examples of division. Just like the various plots mentioned above, although activities of different types do not interfere with each other and do not interfere with each other, one activity of the same type can overwhelm or even annihilate the other. ④For example, the sunlight is enough to drown out the fluorescent lights; the sound of guns is enough to suppress noises; the strong fragrance is enough to suppress the soft fragrance; the strong heat is enough to suppress the mild heat; and like a piece of iron placed between a magnet and another piece of iron is sufficient to destroy the activity of the magnet . ⑤ On this point, I will also discuss it at the appropriate place, that is, when I talk about some pillars of the induction method. ①W.H.Wollaston (W.H.Wollaston, British physicist and chemist, invented the bright camera box and goniometer——translator ) Wrap the gold wire in a silver cylinder, pull them out together, and then use hot nitrous acid to decompose the silver, that is, to get an extremely fine gold wire: this method may be inspired by this. ②Refer to the relevant notes under the third and fourth articles of the second volume. - translator ③Fuller pointed out that there was an old visual theory that projectiles or images were projected from external objects and transmitted to the eyes; Bacon's words still bear traces of this saying. - translator ④ Fleur pointed out that this phenomenon is of course due to the fact that when one sense organ is highly stimulated, another low degree of stimulation of the same kind has no effect on it.Please refer to the relevant note under point 7 of Article 40 of Volume 2. - translator ⑤ Fleur pointed out that this example is only true if certain conditions are added.A magnet can develop its magnetism in iron (this is called the teaching or induction of magnetism), so that iron itself becomes a magnet, which often in turn supports another iron, and so on, depending on the strength of the magnet and the influence of the magnet. It depends on the size of the iron block.We see how iron filings adhere to magnets, for a familiar illustration of this principle.But of course there is a limit to the teaching of magnetism, and the last piece of iron in the series, because the magnetism it senses itself is extremely weak, cannot help another piece of iron.This becomes the example Bacon cites here.But there is also the more common case that the first piece of iron that comes into contact with the magnet cannot at first be able to What weight does it support.This is more likely what Bacon had in mind. - translator