INTRODUCTION

Francis Bacon set forth his idea for reforming the entire realm of knowledge in The Proficience and Advancement of Learning Divine and Human (first published in 1605), which he offered as a “fixed memorial” and “immortal monument” to the magnificence of James I (111, 261-4). It was divided into two books, the first dealing with the merit of augmenting learning, and the second with mapping out parts of knowledge, indicating which parts were extant, absent, or in need of revision in order to facilitate the advancement of learning explained in the first book. It is in the second book that we find Bacon's classification of knowledge. He revised parts of it in 1612 (Description of the Intellectual Globe V, 503-44)) and further in 1623, when he translated The Advancement of Learning into Latin as the De dignitate et augmentis scientiarum (The Dignity and Advancement of Learning). Bacon now reviewed the entire scope of learning in eight books.