Accounts Quote by Francis Bacon
“Moreover, the works already known are due to chance and experiment rather than to sciences; for the sciences we now possess are merely systems for the nice ordering and setting forth of things already invented; not methods of invention or directions for new works.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Advancement of Learning, 1605
Science organizes known knowledge but does not itself generate new ideas; invention requires chance and experimentation beyond systematic methods.
In simple terms: Science orders what we know, but discovery needs chance.
Embrace experimentation beyond strict systems.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- research
- artistic creation
- problem solving
- scientific inquiry
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance structure with serendipity?
- What role does risk play in invention?
Relying solely on method can stifle breakthrough ideas.