Sir Francis Bacon (1561–1626) was a successful English lawyer, politician, scientist, orator and philosopher. His works were enormously influential during a scientific revolution, in which Bacon proposed a great reformation of all process of knowledge. He popularized a scientific knowledge, often called the Baconian method, based only upon inductive and careful observation of events in nature. Bacon came to believe that our mind is obstructed with 4 false images (Idols) and we should avoid them before we start any knowledge acquisition.
1) The Idols of the Tribe. The human understanding in general is like a false mirror which distorts the nature of things.
2) The Idols of the Cave. Every individual may have his own perception of things formed during his education and conversation with others whom he esteems.
3) The Idols of the Marketplace. The false measure of nature is also due to confusions in the use of language.
4) The Idols of the Theatre. It is all about prejudices that have their origin in dogmatic philosophy or in wrong laws.
