Man Who Saw Through Time

by Loren Eiseley

Examines the life, career, and thought of the Elizabethan philosopher and writer, evaluating the quality and accuracy of his vision of the future

Genres: Science, Philosophy, History, Nonfiction, Biography

125 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1962

About the author

Loren Corey Eiseley (September 3, 1907 – July 9, 1977) was a highly respected anthropologist, science writer, ecologist, and poet. He published books of essays, biography, and general science in the 1950s through the 1970s.

Eiseley is best known for the poetic essay style, called the "concealed essay". He used this to explain complex scientific ideas, such as human evolution, to the general public. He is also known for his writings about humanity's relationship with the natural world; these writings helped inspire the modern environmental movement.

Reviews

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loren Eiseley has been hanging out on my shelves for years, far too long unread. I finally pulled this volume off the to-be-read pile because it was short (116 pages) and would be easily carried on a trip out of town. Thank goodness!! What sheer pleasure to read the beautiful essays Eiseley has assembled on the importance and impact of the scientist, philosopher, lawyer, and King's counsel - Frances Bacon. Eiseley combines his own knowledge of history, anthropology, philosophy of science in a set of essays easily accessible to any interested general reader.

Eiseley paints, often out of Bacon's own words, a picture of the late 16th century - an "age of violence" (the title of the first essay), power, patronage - an age in which learning was defined as mastering the knowledge of the ancients. Within that age, Bacon germinated and planted the seeds for the sciences that have become fundamental building blocks of our world today. Francis Bacon argued for a new way of understanding and thinking about nature and man's role within nature. "This is the foundation of all, for we are not to imagine or suppose, but to discover, what nature does or may be made to do." Learning about nature should involve direct observation and induction, combined and made more effective by the use of the 'arts of man' - experimentation - to see what nature "may be made to do." Eiseley describes for us Bacon's vision of a "mundus alter" or "other world" produced by and as part of human culture through the course of such experimentation - a sophisticated insight into the blending of human thought with non-human "nature."

Eiseley's rendering is interesting, insightful, well-written. It will drive me to pursue a fuller treatment of the life of Francis Bacon. In the meantime, I'll also be pulling those two other Eiseley volumes from my shelves so that I can tag along with Eiseley on "The Immense Journey" and into "The Night Country." What a great find in the midst of my "I'll read them when I retire" collection!

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not my first time to read this great book by the distinguished scientist, humanist and poet, Loren Eiseley. In a brief volume, Eiseley illuminates the life and work of Francis Bacon, viewed by many as the father of experimental science. Since Eiseley wrote the book (perhaps at least partially because he wrote the book), Bacon's reputation and historical standing, once somewhat tarnished, have been enhanced and his contributions are more widely appreciated. Eiseley delivers to this mission his usual erudition, piercing insights, and beautiful prose style. A tour de force.

Reread 5/30/23 Little to add to my review; a great book about a great man.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not know much about Francis Bacon before I read this wonderful book, but Eiseley makes it clear that Bacon was one of the greatest scientists of all time despite the fact he never conducted an experiment or invented a thing. If you are at all interested in the beginnings of modern scientific thought, read this book.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting set of lectures. would not mind reading more of Eiseley, or of Bacon. As a kid I was fascinated with Atlantis and was always curious about The New Atlantis...now I have a bit more of a glimmer.

[Mark Charney]

I've known fans of Eiseley's writing over my lifetime but had never read anything by him. I picked this up at a book give away some time ago. It's a short and easy read, but after a few weeks distance, my impression is that the book has more style than substance. I fell into the rhythm of the writing and found it soothing. In substance, it's an appreciation of Sr. Francis Bacon and his promotion of the scientific method and perhaps an argument for humanism. These are topics I have sympathy for, but I'm not sure the book gave me any more insight into Bacon than I might gain from a Wikipedia article. Perhaps the man is too distant from our era in history to be more than the purveyor of an idea. I'm sure there are more thorough Bacon biographies, but I haven't searched them out. So far, my take on Eiseley as a writer is that I would read him for the style and rhythm of his sentences.

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview of Francis Bacon's contribution to the sciences and of the flight as percieved by major writers who followed him. This is the starting point for enjoying Bacon's works and appreciating their worth.

[Amanuel Sahilu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worth reading for the last two pieces, but overall, not Eiseley’s best. Did get me more into Bacon than I already was, though; Eiseley succeeds most in his selection of quotes

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my favorite of Eiseley's works, but well worth the reading.