Q0432
“Human knowledge and human power meet in one” — Francis Bacon
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Novum Organum I, Aph. 3. Theme: knowledge.
English
Human knowledge and human power meet in one.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Novum Organum I, Aph. 3 and files it under Empiricism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon (1561–1626) was an English statesman, jurist, and philosopher of inductive science under Elizabeth I and James I. He rose to Lord Chancellor before falling in a bribery scandal.
Interpretation
Bacon is asserting the principle that would later be called the unity of knowledge and power. His claim in the Novum Organum is that to know a cause is to be able to produce the effect, so ignorance and impotence have the same root. This redirects the aim of inquiry from contemplation to intervention, which is why it marks a break with the earlier tradition. He is careful that the knowledge in question is of causes, not of observed correlations.
Why it matters
It sets a demanding test for understanding: if you cannot produce or alter the effect, what you have may be familiarity rather than knowledge.
Concepts in this quote
- Knowledge
- Knowledge is the philosophical study of what we can justifiably claim to know—and where certainty ends.
- Power
- Power is the capacity to affect others and to shape what counts as possible—central to politics and ethics.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Francis Bacon. (n.d.). Human knowledge and human power meet in one. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0432
MLA: Francis Bacon. “Human knowledge and human power meet in one..” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0432.
Chicago: Francis Bacon. “Human knowledge and human power meet in one..” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0432.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Human knowledge and human power meet in one.”?
The passage is attributed to Francis Bacon, Novum Organum I, Aph. 3. The archive attributes this English wording to Novum Organum I, Aph. 3 and files it under Empiricism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Francis Bacon mean by knowledge?
Epistemology asks whether knowledge is justified true belief, reliable tracking of the world, or something else; it also asks how perception, testimony, memory, and reason contribute. This passage enters that discussion through knowledge, power.