Revisiting Bacon’s Utilitarianism: Exploring its Acceptability and Critique in the Contemporary Era from Bacon’s Selected Essays

Abstract

In the modern era of materialism and self-centeredness, the society is in dire need of inculcating a practical and utilitarian outlook among its members. The present study is aimed at conducting a rigorous analysis of Bacon’s philosophy of utilitarianism found in the selected essays of Bacon’s The Essays or Counsels, Civil and Moral (1625) and exploring the relevance of Bacon’s utilitarianism in today’s society. Three-dimensional framework of Critical Discourse Analysis proposed by Fairclough (1992) has been used for the analysis of Bacon’s selected essays. The study is purely qualitative and descriptive in nature. Employing purposive sampling techniques, essays were selected that deeply convey Bacon’s philosophy of utilitarianism. The analysis revealed that Bacon advises to prioritize the greater good of the society above one’s personal benefit. Aphoristic style, use of concise and short clauses, simplified language and contrasting techniques are the main linguistic techniques found in the selected essays of Bacon. By following Bacon’s utilitarian guidelines, people of the 21^st century society can create a fair, just and equitable social setup where everyone is given equal rights and opportunities. Bacon also emphasizes the importance of collective good over individual gain for the attainment of a successful and fulfilling lifestyle. The well-being of a society requires practical and realist individuals with a utilitarian outlook. This study opens new ways for future researchers to carry out the survey based research of utilitarianism in a particular society.