オークショット『政治における合理主義』（９） ベーコンの登場
「知の現状は、隆盛でもなければ大いに前進しつつある訳でもない」とべーコンは書いた。（オークショット『政治における合理主義』（勁草書房）嶋津格訳、p. 15） That the state of knowledge is not prosperous nor greatly advancing; and that a way must be opened for the human understanding entirely different from any hitherto known, and other helps provided, in order that the mind may exercise over the nature of things the authority which properly belongs to it. -- Francis Bacon, Preface to the Instauratio Magna （知の状態は順調でも大いに進歩してもいないということ。そして、これまで知られていたものとは全く異なる道が人間の理解のために開かれ、精神が物事の本質に正しく属する権威をその本質に行使できるよう、他の助けを提供しなければならないということ） IT SEEMS to me that men do not rightly understand either their store or their strength, but overrate the one and underrate the other. Hence it follows, that either from an extravagant estimate of the value of the arts which they possess, they seek no further; or else from too mean an estimate of their own powers, they spend their strength in small matters and never put it fairly to the trial in those which go to the main. -- Ibid. （人は自分...