--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No one has yet been found so firm of mind…" description: "\"No one has yet been found so firm of mind and purpose as resolutely to compel himself to sweep away all theories and common notions, and to apply the u..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab5/francis-bacon-297_accidents_no-one-has-yet-been-found-so-firm-of-min_3051564.jpg" --- # No one has yet been found so firm of mind and purpose as… ![“No one has yet been found so firm of mind and purpose as resolutely to compel himself to sweep away all theories and common notions, and to apply the understanding, thus made fair and even, to a fresh examination of particulars. Thus it happens that human knowledge, as we have it, is a mere medley…” quote by Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab5/francis-bacon-297_accidents_no-one-has-yet-been-found-so-firm-of-min_3051564.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab5/francis-bacon-297_accidents_no-one-has-yet-been-found-so-firm-of-min_3051564.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab5/francis-bacon-297_accidents_no-one-has-yet-been-found-so-firm-of-min_3051564.jpg) > “No one has yet been found so firm of mind and purpose as resolutely to compel himself to sweep away all theories and common notions, and to apply the understanding, thus made fair and even, to a fresh examination of particulars. Thus it happens that human knowledge, as we have it, is a mere medley and ill-digested mass, made up of much credulity and much accident, and also of the childish notions which we at first imbibed.” [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. Human knowledge is a confused mix of untested ideas and accidents; rigorous, unbiased examination of facts is needed to replace superstition with truth. **In simple terms:** Our ideas are messy; we must test them carefully. Key Takeaway Question assumptions and examine evidence directly. Themes knowledge critical thinking methodology truth Mood inquisitive analytical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - scientific research - education - policy making - media analysis Key Concepts empiricism skepticism philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions do you accept without testing? - How can you apply fair analysis today? A Different Perspective Changing entrenched beliefs is difficult; resistance may occur. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) [Childish Notions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childish-notions-5077445/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Credulity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credulity/) [Examination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/examination/) [Fairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairs/) [Firm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firm/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Human knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-knowledge/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ill/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Knowledge Mere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-mere-1226960/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass/) [Mass Credulity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass-credulity-5077444/) [Medley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medley/) [Mere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mere/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Notion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notion/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [“Man's primary will to know struggles against the selfsatisfied formalism of empty learning which drugs man into the illusory calm of fulfillment. It fights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-jaspers/man-s-primary-will-to-know-struggles-against-the-selfsatisfied/) [Karl Jaspers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-jaspers/) > [“There is only one real knowledge: that which helps us to be free. Every other type of knowledge is mere amusement. —VISHNU PURANA,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/there-is-only-one-real-knowledge-that-which-helps-us-to-be-free-every/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Upon a given body to generate and superinduce a new nature or new natures is the work and aim of human power. To discover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/upon-a-given-body-to-generate-and-superinduce-a-new-nature-or-new/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The true bounds and limitations, whereby human knowledge is confined and circumscribed,... are three: the first, that we do not so place our felicity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-true-bounds-and-limitations-whereby-human-knowledge-is-confined/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Human knowledge and human power meet in one; for where the cause is not known the effect cannot be produced. Nature to be commanded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/human-knowledge-and-human-power-meet-in-one-for-where-the-cause-is/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I cut my teeth playing rock songs on the accordion when I was a teenager and my friends always thought that was extremely amusing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/i-cut-my-teeth-playing-rock-songs-on-the-accordion-when-i-was-a/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [There is no family in America without a clock, and consequently there is no fair pretext for the usual Sunday medley of dreadful sounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/there-is-no-family-in-america-without-a-clock-and-consequently-there/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“for in prosperity prayers seem but a mere medley of words, until misfortune comes and the unhappy sufferer first understands the meaning of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/for-in-prosperity-prayers-seem-but-a-mere-medley-of-words-until/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [The news of the days it reaches the newspaper office is an incredible medley of fact, propaganda, rumor, suspicion, clues, hopes, and fears, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/the-news-of-the-days-it-reaches-the-newspaper-office-is-an-incredible/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [My favorite dish is cleaning out the fridge on Sunday night and improvising a great medley.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/my-favorite-dish-is-cleaning-out-the-fridge-on-sunday-night-and/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [We cannot tell what may happen to us in the strange medley of life. But we can decide what happens in us - how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-fort-newton/we-cannot-tell-what-may-happen-to-us-in-the-strange-medley-of-life/) [Joseph Fort Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-fort-newton/) > [The sanction of force stands behind the medley of personal orders and regulations of Martial Law. The sanction of the people's consent stands behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zulfikar-ali-bhutto/the-sanction-of-force-stands-behind-the-medley-of-personal-orders-and/) [Zulfikar Ali Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zulfikar-ali-bhutto/) > [I do a medley of hymns in all of my sets, whether I'm in an arena, in a theater, in an amusement park.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yolanda-adams/i-do-a-medley-of-hymns-in-all-of-my-sets-whether-i-m-in-an-arena-in-a/) [Yolanda Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yolanda-adams/) > [ When George \[Harrison\] died the guards at Buckingham Palace played a medley of George's songs during the changing of the guard; that sort of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy-kilmister/when-george-harrison-died-the-guards-at-buckingham-palace-played-a/) [Lemmy Kilmister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy-kilmister/) > [We worked the medley on side two of "Abbey Road" out carefully in advance. All of those mini songs were partly completed tunes; some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/we-worked-the-medley-on-side-two-of-abbey-road-out-carefully-in/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) ## 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 Accidents quotes > [Almost all accidents take place because of human distraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/almost-all-accidents-take-place-because-of-human-distraction/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [It was no accident, no coincidence, that the seasons came round and round year after year. It was the Lord speaking to us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/it-was-no-accident-no-coincidence-that-the-seasons-came-round-and/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [No, I think most astronauts recognize that the space shuttle program is very high-risk, and are prepared for accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/no-i-think-most-astronauts-recognize-that-the-space-shuttle-program/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The only way to have a funeral is to invite everyone who ever knew the person and just wait for the accident to happen-somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/the-only-way-to-have-a-funeral-is-to-invite-everyone-who-ever-knew/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [Good films are not made by accident, nor is good photography. You can have good things happen, on occasion, by accident that can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-willis/good-films-are-not-made-by-accident-nor-is-good-photography-you-can/) [Gordon Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-willis/) > [By education I am an Englishman, by views an internationalist, by culture a Muslim and a Hindu only by accident of birth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/by-education-i-am-an-englishman-by-views-an-internationalist-by/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [I made out with a homeless guy by accident. I had no idea -- he was really tan, he had no shoes on. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/i-made-out-with-a-homeless-guy-by-accident-i-had-no-idea-he-was/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) > [Naturally I feel no shame in writing these things because of the time which separates the moment when they are written--when only I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-ernaux/naturally-i-feel-no-shame-in-writing-these-things-because-of-the-time/) [Annie Ernaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-ernaux/) > [In a city where you walk around, it's impossible to plan your day and your life as accidents will happen, you'll overhear things, bump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-schwartzman/in-a-city-where-you-walk-around-it-s-impossible-to-plan-your-day-and/) [Jason Schwartzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-schwartzman/) > [I don't think it's by accident that I was first attracted to translating two French women poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-hacker/i-don-t-think-it-s-by-accident-that-i-was-first-attracted-to/) [Marilyn Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-hacker/) > [Despite my mentors advice that I would never go to heaven fishing with a weighted nymph and a float, I took it up. (As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bishop/despite-my-mentors-advice-that-i-would-never-go-to-heaven-fishing/) [Tony Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bishop/) > [Dont stand outside in a lightning shower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padraig/dont-stand-outside-in-a-lightning-shower/) [Padraig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padraig/) > [In the eyes of those lovers of perfection, a work is never finished a word that for them has no sense but abandoned; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/in-the-eyes-of-those-lovers-of-perfection-a-work-is-never-finished-a/) [Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/) > [My musical career was an accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/my-musical-career-was-an-accident/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) [Browse all 1,971 Accidents quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No one has yet been found so firm of mind and purpose as resolutely to compel himself to sweep away all theories and common notions, and to apply the understanding, thus made fair and even, to a fresh examination of particulars. 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