BACON, FRANCIS

(1561-1626) the father of modern science; mother was a Calvinist ; wrote Novum Organum. His method was to gather facts and then draw theories from them ( Inductive Method). He was not a great scientist, but his writings helped scientific progress. His book The New Atlantis was a political fable, but in it he describes many later inventions (does that make him a science fiction writer?) He was a lawyer and then a judge. He was accused of taking bribes in 1621 (but all judges did so in that day) and confessed to some of the charges. Because King James I liked him, the fine of 40,000 pounds was erased.