--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Again men have been kept back as by a…" description: "\"Again men have been kept back as by a kind of enchantment from progress in science by reverence for antiquity, by the authority of men counted great in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f7/francis-bacon-297_antiquity_again-men-have-been-kept-back-as-by-a-ki_864537.jpg" --- # Again men have been kept back as by a kind of enchantment… ![“Again men have been kept back as by a kind of enchantment from progress in science by reverence for antiquity, by the authority of men counted great in philosophy, and then by general consent.” quote by Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f7/francis-bacon-297_antiquity_again-men-have-been-kept-back-as-by-a-ki_864537.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f7/francis-bacon-297_antiquity_again-men-have-been-kept-back-as-by-a-ki_864537.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f7/francis-bacon-297_antiquity_again-men-have-been-kept-back-as-by-a-ki_864537.jpg) > “Again men have been kept back as by a kind of enchantment from progress in science by reverence for antiquity, by the authority of men counted great in philosophy, and then by general consent.” [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often let reverence for the past and authority of famous thinkers hinder scientific advancement. **In simple terms:** Respect for tradition can block new ideas. Key Takeaway Question old assumptions. Themes tradition authority science progress Mood critical inquisitive Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - academic research - policy making - education reform - public discourse - technology development Key Concepts epistemology skepticism innovation Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance respect for past wisdom with openness to new evidence? - What mechanisms can prevent authority from stifling innovation? A Different Perspective New ideas also need rigorous testing, not just rejection of tradition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Antiquity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antiquity/) [Antiquity Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antiquity-authority-623855/) [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Authority Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority-men-888208/) [Consent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consent/) [Enchantment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enchantment/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Kept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-kept-888206/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Progress in science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress-in-science/) [Reverence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverence/) [Reverence Antiquity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverence-antiquity-888209/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science Reverence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-reverence-888207/) ## Related quotes > [Whence true authority in men: though both Not equal, as their sex not equal seemed; For contemplation he and valour formed, For softness she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/whence-true-authority-in-men-though-both-not-equal-as-their-sex-not/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [People who blame the Bible for the modern destruction of nature have failed to see its delight in the variety and individuality of creatures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/people-who-blame-the-bible-for-the-modern-destruction-of-nature-have/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Competition of praise inclineth to a reverence of antiquity. For men contend with the living, not with the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/competition-of-praise-inclineth-to-a-reverence-of-antiquity-for-men/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [“The error of those who reason by precedents drawn from antiquity, respecting the rights of man, is that they do not go far enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-error-of-those-who-reason-by-precedents-drawn-from-antiquity/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Women understand that men must often be kept from soiling themselves with the dirty little details of life in order to accomplish the big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-lamarsh/women-understand-that-men-must-often-be-kept-from-soiling-themselves/) [Judy LaMarsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-lamarsh/) > [Many men can no more be kept straight by spiritual motives than we can live without policemen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/many-men-can-no-more-be-kept-straight-by-spiritual-motives-than-we/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [Many of the great achievements of the world were accomplished by tired and discouraged men who kept on working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/many-of-the-great-achievements-of-the-world-were-accomplished-by/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“...the delicate arrangements and systems that made life on the outside so easy; the massive industries balanced on knife-edge adjustments; the handful of men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mulvihill/the-delicate-arrangements-and-systems-that-made-life-on-the-outside/) [William Mulvihill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mulvihill/) > [The mightiest works have been accomplished by men who have somehow kept their ability to dream great dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell-bowie/the-mightiest-works-have-been-accomplished-by-men-who-have-somehow/) [Walter Russell Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-bowie/) > [“A great many men are kept out of the kingdom of God because they are looking for somebody else’s experience—the experience their grandmother had,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-lyman-moody/a-great-many-men-are-kept-out-of-the-kingdom-of-god-because-they-are/) [Dwight Lyman Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-lyman-moody/) > [Progress in science depends on new techniques, new discoveries and new ideas, probably in that order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-brenner/progress-in-science-depends-on-new-techniques-new-discoveries-and-new/) [Sydney Brenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-brenner/) > [The pretention that some of us are better than others, I don't think is a very good thing. And who is contributing what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-steinberger/the-pretention-that-some-of-us-are-better-than-others-i-don-t-think/) [Jack Steinberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-steinberger/) > [Progress in science comes when experiments contradict theory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/progress-in-science-comes-when-experiments-contradict-theory/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Those who are really convinced that they have made progress in science would not demand freedom for the new views to continue side by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/those-who-are-really-convinced-that-they-have-made-progress-in/) [Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/) > [The scientist is a practical man and his are practical (i.e., practically attainable) aims. He does not seek the ultimate but the proximate. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-n-lewis/the-scientist-is-a-practical-man-and-his-are-practical-i-e/) [Gilbert N. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-n-lewis/) ## More by Francis Bacon > [Princes are like heavenly bodies, which cause good or evil times, and which have much veneration, but no rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/princes-are-like-heavenly-bodies-which-cause-good-or-evil-times-and/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The best preservative to keep the mind in health is the faithful admonition of a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-best-preservative-to-keep-the-mind-in-health-is-the-faithful/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Since custom is the principal magistrate of man's life, let men by all means endeavor to obtain good customs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/since-custom-is-the-principal-magistrate-of-man-s-life-let-men-by-all/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Painting today is pure intuition and luck and taking advantage of what happens when you splash the stuff down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/painting-today-is-pure-intuition-and-luck-and-taking-advantage-of/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I usually accept bribes from both sides so that tainted money can never influence my decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-usually-accept-bribes-from-both-sides-so-that-tainted-money-can/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Much bending breaks the bow; much unbending the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/much-bending-breaks-the-bow-much-unbending-the-mind/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [When Christ came into the world, peace was sung; and when He went out of the world, peace was bequeathed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/when-christ-came-into-the-world-peace-was-sung-and-when-he-went-out/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [...neither is it possible to discover the more remote and deeper parts of any science, if you stand but upon the level of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/neither-is-it-possible-to-discover-the-more-remote-and-deeper-parts/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The divisions of science are not like different lines that meet in one angle, but rather like the branches of trees that join in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-divisions-of-science-are-not-like-different-lines-that-meet-in/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The human understanding, when any preposition has been once laid down... forces everything else to add fresh support and confirmation; and although more cogent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-human-understanding-when-any-preposition-has-been-once-laid-down/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I should have been, I don't know, a con-man, a robber or a prostitute. But it was vanity that made me choose painting, vanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-should-have-been-i-don-t-know-a-con-man-a-robber-or-a-prostitute/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Wounds cannot be cured without searching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/wounds-cannot-be-cured-without-searching/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The French are wiser than they seem, and the Spaniards seem wiser than they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-french-are-wiser-than-they-seem-and-the-spaniards-seem-wiser-than/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [When a man laughs at his troubles he loses a great many friends. They never forgive the loss of their prerogative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/when-a-man-laughs-at-his-troubles-he-loses-a-great-many-friends-they/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Believing that I was born for the service of mankind, and regarding the care of the commonwealth as a kind of common property which,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/believing-that-i-was-born-for-the-service-of-mankind-and-regarding/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) [Explore all 711 Francis Bacon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) ## More Antiquity quotes > [The clatter of a changing world is not pleasant, and those who have enjoyed the comforts and protection of the old order may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/the-clatter-of-a-changing-world-is-not-pleasant-and-those-who-have/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [Astrology is knocking at the gates of our universities: A Tübingen professor has switched over to astrology and a course on astrology was given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/astrology-is-knocking-at-the-gates-of-our-universities-a-t-bingen/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [Everyone who wants to know what will happen ought to examine what has happened: everything in this world in any epoch has their replicas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/everyone-who-wants-to-know-what-will-happen-ought-to-examine-what-has/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“A very long time ago, some 2.5 million years B.C., the mother of human species as we know it, our ultimate ancestor, appeared in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/a-very-long-time-ago-some-2-5-million-years-b-c-the-mother-of-human/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [What subsists to-day by violence continues to-morrow by acquiescence and is perpetuated by tradition; till at last the hoary abuse shakes the gray hairs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-everett/what-subsists-to-day-by-violence-continues-to-morrow-by-acquiescence/) [Edward Everett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-everett/) > [“Since antiquity, men have defined themselves by those who are excluded.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-robinson/since-antiquity-men-have-defined-themselves-by-those-who-are-excluded/) [Jim Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-robinson/) > [While the business of education in Europe consists in lectures upon the ruins of Palmyra and the antiquities of Herculaneum , or in disputes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-rush/while-the-business-of-education-in-europe-consists-in-lectures-upon/) [Benjamin Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-rush/) > [In antiquity there was only silence. In the nineteenth century, with the invention of the machine, Noise was born. Today, Noise triumphs and reigns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luigi-russolo/in-antiquity-there-was-only-silence-in-the-nineteenth-century-with/) [Luigi Russolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luigi-russolo/) > [Arles is certainly one of the most interesting towns I have ever seen, whether viewed as a place remarkable for the objects of antiquity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/arles-is-certainly-one-of-the-most-interesting-towns-i-have-ever-seen/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [An established government has an infinite advantage, by that very circumstance of its being established--the bulk of mankind being governed by authority, not reason,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/an-established-government-has-an-infinite-advantage-by-that-very/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [In antiquity slaves were, in all honesty called slaves. In the middle ages, they took the name of serfs. Nowadays they are called wage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bakunin/in-antiquity-slaves-were-in-all-honesty-called-slaves-in-the-middle/) [Mikhail Bakunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bakunin/) > [I was brought up in Florence, a beautiful medieval town whose rhythm is completely in antiquity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oleg-cassini/i-was-brought-up-in-florence-a-beautiful-medieval-town-whose-rhythm/) [Oleg Cassini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oleg-cassini/) > [Although Damascus is considered the oldest city in the world, the date of its foundation going beyond tradition, there are very few relics of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-taylor/although-damascus-is-considered-the-oldest-city-in-the-world-the-date/) [Bayard Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-taylor/) > [“Educated and ambitious, with their own forthright opinions, the women of the Garvey set did more to determine political direction than many councillors. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/educated-and-ambitious-with-their-own-forthright-opinions-the-women/) [A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/) > [Book burning is a charming old custom, hallowed by antiquity. It has been practiced for centuries by fascists, communists, atheists, school children, rival authors,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armour/book-burning-is-a-charming-old-custom-hallowed-by-antiquity-it-has/) [Richard Armour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armour/) [Browse all 244 Antiquity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antiquity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Again men have been kept back as by a kind of enchantment from progress in science by reverence for antiquity, by the authority of men counted great in philosophy, and then by general consent.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francis Bacon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/again-men-have-been-kept-back-as-by-a-kind-of-enchantment-from/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Antiquity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/again-men-have-been-kept-back-as-by-a-kind-of-enchantment-from/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f7/francis-bacon-297_antiquity_again-men-have-been-kept-back-as-by-a-ki_864537.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f7/francis-bacon-297_antiquity_again-men-have-been-kept-back-as-by-a-ki_864537.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f7/francis-bacon-297_antiquity_again-men-have-been-kept-back-as-by-a-ki_864537.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Again men have been kept back as by a kind of enchantment from progress in science by reverence for…” — Francis Bacon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Francis Bacon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Again men have been kept back...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/again-men-have-been-kept-back-as-by-a-kind-of-enchantment-from/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/again-men-have-been-kept-back-as-by-a-kind-of-enchantment-from/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```