Francis Bacon's New Atlantis in the Foundation of Modern Political Thought

FrancisBacon,longconsideredaminorfigureinthefoundingofmodernpoliticalthought,isnowrecognizedasoneofitsforemostthinkers.Baconnotonlychampionedanewtypeandmethodofscientificinquiry,healsodevelopedaplanforhowmodernsocietycouldbere-orderedtoaccommodateandpromotescientificprogress.Bacon'sscientificwritingscannotbewhollyunderstoodapartfromhispoliticalwritings,andmanyofhisworkscombinethetwotopicssosubtlythatitisdifficulttoevenplacetheminadefinitivecategory;inthisbook,KimberlyHurdHaleidentifiesthethreadinBacon'sbodyofworkthatlinksmodernscienceandliberalism.HaleprovidesadetailedanalysisofNewAtlantis,examiningBacon'splaceinthefoundingofmodernpoliticalphilosophyandthewaysherelatestoPlato,Machiavelli,andHobbes.HurdarguesthatBacon'sdemonstrationofscientificruleintheNewAtlantisisnotmeantasablueprintformodernsociety;ratheritshowsusthedangersofascientificsocietydevoidofliberty.ByexaminingwhatistroublingabouttheNewAtlantis,thisbookexplainswhatproblemsleadtotheemergenceofAtlanteansocieties,i.e.societiesthatareprosperous,ambitious,anddoomed.ItshowsthatBacon'sportraitofBensalemmayprovidethelightnecessarytoguidethoseofuslivinginaworldshapedbymodernsciencethroughthedangerousseas.