Article-3 German Philosopher- George Wilhelm Hegel and English Philosopher- Francis Bacon

1.Georg Wilhelm Hegel (1770-183) is a thinker of western philosophy. Hegel points out defects in his own time and focused on the role of central power, need for new institutions and educated officials. His works ‘The phenomenology of spirit’, ‘The science of logic’ and ‘Elements of the philosophy’ of right helps us to clear his thoughts about the past and politics as his views are related to politics and political institutions much.   Hegel mentions a historian should be a person who can bring out the ideals from the past which can compensate for the blind spots of present. Hegel asks one to learn from his/her contradictory ideas because it can possibly can have some bits of truth and ideas which looks unappealing to us and should ask to “what silver of sense and reason might be contained in otherwise frightening or foreign phenomena”. What we can derive from his philosophy or understanding could be that history can provide new solutions to a present situation. And in moving from era to era we should on good qualities of previous solutions to make something new, different or better. Hegel mentions that art is not about coming up with strange or startling ideas but top take good, helpful and important thoughts we already have and recreate them more imaginatively. Hegel emphasize on need for new institutions as he points out the power they possess can solve the problems which society faces. He asks to learn from strange mistakes of past.

2.Francis bacon was an English lawyer, statesman, essayist, historian, philosopher, intellectual reformer and scientific thinker. He was an intellectual who held many administrative positions and the last one was the Lord Chancellor which was highest in his times in England. His works like ‘The new Atlantis an unfinished utopian science fiction and ‘The history of the reign of king henry the seventh’ and ‘The history of the reign of the king henry the eighth’ and his essays etc. helps us to understand his viewpoint on different subjects. He was among one of the most influential and top most writers of 17th century. His writings largely covers literary, scientific and philosophical studies. His writings were more elegant and sophisticated. His scientific method of observation combine nature with scientific accumulation with the era.It include three steps: -                                                                                           

1. Collecting specific empirical analysis about the characteristic being investigated.                                                             

2. Classifying the facts into three categories; when characteristic is present, when absent and when it is present in varying degrees.                                                                                                                                                                        

3. Examining the results carefully and rejecting the notions which do not seem responsible for any occurrence and identifying the responsible.                                                                                                                                                   

                          His approach towards history and philosophy is scientific and he rejected the Aristotelian way of doing science i.e. arguing rationally using logic. So, bacon was a scientific thinker of his time who talks about state roles in scientific, technological works etc.

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