Methods, famously, includes the line “I am a descendant of the line of Bacon”, tracing empiricism to either Roger (13th century) or Francis (16th century) (unclear which).
Though a cursory wikiing shows an 11th century figure providing precedents for empiricism! Alhazen or Ibn al-Haytham worked mostly optics apparently but had some meta-level writings about the scientific method itself. I found this shockingly excellent quote
The duty of the man who investigates the writings of scientists, if learning the truth is his goal, is to make himself an enemy of all that he reads, and … attack it from every side. He should also suspect himself as he performs his critical examination of it, so that he may avoid falling into either prejudice or leniency.
Should we do more to celebrate Alhazen as an early rationalist?
Methods, famously, includes the line “I am a descendant of the line of Bacon”, tracing empiricism to either Roger (13th century) or Francis (16th century) (unclear which).
Though a cursory wikiing shows an 11th century figure providing precedents for empiricism! Alhazen or Ibn al-Haytham worked mostly optics apparently but had some meta-level writings about the scientific method itself. I found this shockingly excellent quote
Should we do more to celebrate Alhazen as an early rationalist?