Abstract:

In the epoch of globalization and reforms in the modern education basic philosophical postulates of the famous English philosopher F. Bacon concerning science and education are especially relevant. F. Bacon foresaw utmost importance of his ideas in future that was reflected in his wise saying: "For my name and memory, I leave it to men's charitable speeches, and to foreign nations, and the next ages." The importance to appeal to ancient sources of human knowledge is supported by the belief of F. Bacon in continuity between past, present and future. Thus, he recommended for his descendants to make famous advice of prophet Jeremiah: "Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your soul" the rule of life.

The articles concerns analysis of questions, connected with the most topical postulates and views of F. Bacon up to date: education, spiritual and moral-and-ethic development of young people of the 21-st century.

One of the basic postulate of F. Bacon is the idea that “knowledge itself is power (scentia potentia est)”. In F. Bacon`s opinion, the aim of education is to obtain art of using correct method of acquiring knowledge as well as to be able to orientate properly in the world; education and teachers as “merchants of light” carry out special mission to make scientific knowledge possession of others.

The first part of the article presents the consideration of the following: the problem of critical thinking, the phenomenon of verbalism, the role of research in education, of prevention the possible logical mistakes on the way of cognition of the world, which named by F. Bacon “Idols” or “phantoms” of Tribe, Cave, Market-place, Theatre”. According to F. Bacon, idol`s avoidance “swept and leveled the floor of the mind” so that “the mind is clear and not occupied with anything else”. The object of analysis is also problem of interconnection of education, profession and everyday life of man; the idea of so called naturalistic pedagogy and the principle of nature-like education; the problem of man as “planta inversa”.

The second scope of questions concerns analysis of F. Bacon`s ideas of science and their connection with the science of the 21-st century. The attention is focused on problem of method in science; method of induction: “luminous” and “fruitful” methods, methods of “spider” (speculation), “ant” (collection of facts) and “bee” (obtaining the useful knowledge); carefulness and responsibility of researcher, declaring discovery: “The understanding must not therefore be supplied with wings, but rather hung with weights, to keep it from leaping and flying”.

The theses of F. Bacon about facts, contributing to science development, methods of knowledge, experiment as “the sense decides touching the experiment only”, reformation of education, cooperation between European Universities, unity and variety of scientific knowledge, philosophical-and-methodical bases of the modern science and interdisciplinary approach to education will be regarded.

The special attention will be paid to the model of education developed by F. Bacon.

Keywords:

Philosophical maxims, modern education, spiritual and moral-and-ethic development, method of acquiring knowledge, critical thinking, verbalism, cognition.