Of Studies Questions and Answers | XI WBCHSE 2nd Semester
Describe various physical and mental exercises as mentioned by Bacon in “Of Studies”.
OR,
How can physical and mental defects be cured?
Ans. In the essay “Of Studies” Bacon has prescribed some remedies of mental and physical disease. Studies can cure diseases of the mind just as physical exercises cure defects of the body. For example, bowling is good for the kidneys, Shooting is good for the lungs and breast and gentle walking is good for digestion (stomach), riding is good for head.
Similarly one should study mathematics if he lacks concentration. If a person lacks the ability to discern and distinguish between things, he should study the books of medieval schoolmen who were reputed for hair-splitting skill. Bacon suggests reading of the lawyers case to one who cannot pass through the matters rapidly in the mind and call up one thing to prove and illustrate another.
Discuss the benefits of studying different subjects in the essay, ‘Of Studies’.
OR,
How do we get help from different subjects?
Ans. According to Bacon every subject is useful in a man’s life. The reading of history enables us to know how, when and why. Something came to pass in the past. The past events teach us many valuable lessons. Thus, reading history, we become wise. By reading poetry, we become witty. Our power of feeling and thinking is developed. By studying mathematics, our minds become keen and astute. It gives us mental exercise. The study of natural philosophy enables us to have the knowledge of deeper things difficult to be understood. Moral philosophy makes us great and thoughtful. We come to realize the difference between what is right and wrong. We become aware of our duties. Logic and Rhetoric makes us able to express our point of view in an effective manner. Logic develops our power of arguing and rhetoric develops our power of using appropriate language.
What are the uses and abuses of studies?
OR,
Bring out Bacon’s view on studies or education.
Ans. Bacon explains that there are three uses of study. We get three types of benefits from studies. First-it gives us delight. In our leisure time and in privacy, we can spend our time reading books, which give us both enjoyment and education. Secondly, reading helps us to speak and communicate with people more efficiently. Thirdly-Studies help us to deal with our problems of life more effectively.
Bacon proceeds to speak on its abuse in his characteristically witty manner. To spend too much time in studies is a mark of sluggishness. Secondly to use them inordinately for ornament is vanity. Thirdly to judge only by their rules is the eccentricity of a scholar.
What are the abuses or disadvantages of Studies?
Ans. After giving his opinion on the advantages of studies. Bacon proceeds to speak on its abuse in his characteristically witty manner. Firstly to spend too much time in studies is a mark of laziness. Actually we should not exhaust too much time in theoritical aspects of thing. Secondly, to use them inordinately for ornament is vanity. It means that to utilize studies too much for enhancing the glamour of our talks is nothing but exhibitionism. It is an unnatural showing off. Thirdly to judge only by their rules is the eccentricity of a scholar. Here “humour” means the eccentricity of a book worm. To make judgement wholly depending on bookish knowledge is the eccentricity of a scholar who remained alienated from practical life.
What is the meaning of “cymini sectores”? Who are cymini sectores?
Ans. ‘Cymini sectores’ is a Latin term that means experts in hair splitting. The philosophers of the Middle Ages have the capacity to differentiate and distinguish things. Bacon says that some persons cannot understand subtle and minute difference between two things. Bacon suggests that they should study the books written by school, the religious philosophers of the Middle Age in Europe. They were very eminent scholars of vast eruditions. They could point out the subtlest diffirerence between the two things between different religious arguments. They were called hair splitters as they could keep on arguing on the points of subtle differences.
Describe Bacon’s practical experience to human life with reference to ‘Of Studies’.
OR, What is ‘Pragmatism’? How has Bacon used ‘Pragmatism’ in his Essay ‘Of Studies’?
Ans. ‘Pragmatism’ is a practical judgement of human affairs or any other matter, chiefly for their utilitarian value and the person who judge human beings and their affairs in that view is a ‘Pragmatism’. Bacon’s essays are sketched in both as a moralist as well as a Pragmatism. In his essay there is not a single thing of his personal elements.
His ‘Of Studies’ is an essay impregnated with Pragmatic sayings-“And therefore if a man writes little he had need have a great memory if he confers little, he had need have ‘Pruning by study’. Then there are finely antithetical statements which are very effective. The following sentence will supply an apt illustration-“Crafty men condemn studies, simple men admire them and wise men use them.” It is the delightful combination of profound and clear thinking with a charming lucidity of concise expression that makes the essay one of the finest specimen’s of Bacon’s prose style.
Describe Bacon as an essayist with reference to ‘Of Studies’.
Ans. Montaigne has discovered the subjective and personal essay. But Bacon’s essays are different from Montaigne we do not find whimsical and humorous presentation as found in Lamb’s and Stevenson’s like Addison and Steele he did not write about social criticism. His essays are detected with meditations and present wit. Here Bacon is aware enough of the necessities of writing conferring and reading for the material uses of these functioning. At the same time, his practical wisdom shows the ways of hoodwinking if one is idle enough to perform these functions.
Discuss Bacon’s prose style with reference to ‘Of Studies’.
Ans. ‘In the Advancement of Learning’ Bacon appears to be rhetorical and poetic, But his original prose style is found in ‘Of Studies’. He writes in epigrammatical style. His sentences are terse and pithy. An illustration may be found in the statement where Bacon says that “natural abilities are like natural plants that need pruning. His essays are cultured glaces. Bacon is economical in his essays. He asserts precisely. His sentences are forceful and pithy. He expresses his rational and empirial attitude. His essays come home to men’s business and blossoms. In his essay ‘Of Studies’, Bacon gives conscious about the nature, manner and functions of studies. The subject is meant for giving instructions to the readers. The treatment is deliberate instructions to the readers- “Study is ability”. The antithetical structure of the sentences drives home the points. “Some books digested,” His style is a peculiar mixture of epigram and antithesis: “They experience.”
“For natural Study.”-Where is the line taken from? Explain this line.
Ans. These lines are taken from ‘Of Studies’ by Francis Bacon.
The serious study of valuable books make a man’s nature purged of various emotions like anger, pride self pity, anxiety etc. i.e., the perfect nature of the reader. But this perfection is not complete without practical experience. So study manifests humane qualities, without it nothing is possible. Bookish knowledge is not all, it needs to be combined with practical knowledge. The Sylvan habitat of plants exhibits an indecent view as the trees and plants grow uncared for. But in a garden each tree or plant grows harmoniously as they get regular ‘proyning’ or trimming.
They perfect by experiences.” Where is the line taken from? Who perfected nature and how?
Ans. These lines are taken from ‘Of Studies’ by Francis Bacon.
Studies perfected human nature. According to Sir Bacon, study and experience must go hand in hand, because they have mutually complementary nature. Studies alone cannot give man complete and adequate knowledge. The knowledge derived from studies has to be supplemented by the direct experience of life. The knowledge that we recieve from books is academic in character. And a man who rests content with this kind of bookish knowledge becomes, something of a pedant who loses his contact with the practical-world of business. That is why academic learning should be supplemented by the knowledge, derived from the direct experience of life. The natural abilities with which a man is born have to be carefully cultivated and improved through studies. And in this respect they are live trees and plants that require pruning from time to time. Thus learning and experience are both important and should supplement each other.
“Some books are be chewed and digested.”- Where is the line taken form? Explain the line?
Ans. This line has been taken from the famous essay “Of Studies” written by Francis Bacon.
Actually this is a metaphor. Francis Bacon in this line attempts to convey that books are to be read as per their importance in practical life. In the first category comes the books that are “to be tasted”. It means that these books are just worthy of a quick reading. They are to be for fun, and delight. It is so because when we read them, we do not seek some deep knowledge for example, reading a comic book. In the second category of the books, he puts the books that are meant “to be swallowed.” These books hold important knowledge that can not be opposed for example the laws of gravity in science. You just have to accept them the way they are. In the third category are the books that should “be chewed and digested.” It means that they contain philosophical ideas that should be read slowly and thoughtfully. These books raise reader’s level of thought and enrich his intellect.
“Reading maketh a full Man writing an exact man”-Where is the line taken from? Explain the line?
Ans. This line has been taken from Francis Bacon’s famous essay “Of Studies”.
It is reading that adds to a man’s knowledge and makes him complete in the sense of his wisdom. Undoubtedly, it is interaction with others that prepares a person practically. Furthermore, It is the skill of extensive or innovative writing that makes a complete person. The author describes some facts about studies. He says that if a man writes less, he needs a great memory to remember all the learned things. If a person interacts less he needs a present and sharp intellect and if one reads a little he must be clever in knowing what he does not.
“Crafty men … observation”-Where is the line taken from? Explain the line.
Ans. These lines are taken from the famous essay “Of Studies”, written by Francis Bacon.
In these lines Francis Bacon discussed the different attitudes of different people towards books and studies. Bacon tries to convey that men of spiteful and crafty nature hate and condemn studies. These men lack the necessary foresight to recognize the true value of studies. However, the simple men admire studies. They also show huge respect and admiration to the learned persons. But the value of the studies lies in their utility. Wise and intelligent people use the studies in their practical lives. Studies do not teach their own use. It is the role of the intellect and wisdom to learn the usage of studies.
“Studies serve for delight .. for Ability”-Where is the line taken from? Explain the line.
Ans. This line is taken from Francis Bacon’s famous essay ‘Of Studies’.
Bacon tells us the three uses and purpose of study is practical life. The author categorically mentions the three kind of benefits rendered by studies and these are giving enjoyment, making embellished and rendering ability. A learned man has always at his command enjoyment i.e., delight, Secondly, studies make his company valuable by embellishing his speech and discourse and thirdly, studies increase his ability to execute various kinds of jobs properly. Studies of authentic books make a man able to handle different circumstances according to the pressing needs of the situations. In a word, it can be said that the greatest contribution of studies is to equip a reader with the quality of marshalling of affairs. The knowledge acquired by authentic and extensive studies teaches the reader to handle properly various problems and issues. This is the most valuable gift of studies.
“To spend too much time of a scholar”- Where is the line taken from? Explain the line?
Ans. These lines are taken from the famous essay “Of Studies” by Francis Bacon.
According to Bacon, one should be always kept awareness of what he is reading, but one should never be a bookworm. Bacon opines that to devote time to studies beyond the limit of usual need is a proof of indolent nature of the reader, or in other words inadvertence for proceeding to the useful business of life proves a man’s idle nature even if he is a man of profound learning in the second unit Bacon’s view is that using of bookish knowledge inordinately for ornament in conversation is nothing but mere show of pride. In the third unit, Bacon elaborates the view that the tendency to estimate everything in terms of bookish knowledge is regarded as the eccentricity of a scholar. The learned man with such habit should be considered as a quite impractical “bookful blockhead”.
“If a man write little … he doth no”-Where is the line taken from? Explain the line.
Ans. These lines are taken from the famous essay “Of Studies” by Francis Bacon.
In “Of Studies” Bacon makes an illuminative discussion on the advantage, that a reader can derive from systematic study of books, and points out unerringly the real end of education. Bacon’s own characteristic way is to put his counsels in black and white through tiny but condensed aphorisms vouch for Bacon’s wisdom and practical experience. This remark is a perfect of Baconian cunningness and pragmatism. In it he prescribes substitute measures for his readers. He reminds his readers that a man needs to possess great memory if he has not the habit of writing regularly, should have a ready wit if he discusses little and must know to hold back his ignorance.
“Distilled books are like distilled water flashy things.”- What are distilled books? Why are they compared to distilled waters?
Ans. By ‘distilled books’ Bacon means the summaries and epitomes of books.
Bacon compares the distilled books to the common distilled waters. According to Bacon, when water is distilled, it loses its taste and becomes flashy. Like it, when a book is distilled, i.e., summarized, it loses its characteristic charms. Besides less important books may be read in summaries. But when summarized books does their charm. As water becomed tasteless when distilled, books too when summarized become dull and insipid. The word distilled means summarized. We get distilled water by changing water to vapour by heating and then condensing the vapour. The water is insipid and is not tasteful. Summarized books have no charm and interest. They do not reflect the original style of the another.
“Abeunt studia in mores.” From where has this expression been taken? What is the meaning of this Latin expression? Explain the line.
Ans. This expression has been taken from Francis Bacon’s essay ‘Of Studies’. Bacon has quoted this expression from one of the epistle of the Roman Poet Ovid. The Latin expression means “Studies pass int character.” He meant to say that studies play a greater role in building our characters.
History, say Bacon, makes man wise. The study of poetry, enhances the imaginative faculty of man, books on mathematics make us subtle i.e., give us, analytical skill; natural philosophy or books on science makes us capable of thinking deeply and seriously, logic and rhetoric make us able to contend or take on our opponents, dispute and argue with them. A knowledge of logic teaches us how to defeat our opponents in argument. Thus studies of different types of books influence the nature and character of men.
What are the uses of study?
Ans. Bacon explains that there are three uses of study, we get three types of benefits from studies. First it gives us delight in our leisure time and in privacy, we can spend our time reading books, which give us both enjoyment and education. Secondly, reading helps us to speak and communicate with people more efficiently. Thirdly studies help us to deal with our problems of life more effectively. We can make good judgement of matters and issues. Studies help professional experts to deal successfully with particular cases. Studies enhance our ability in practical business. By reading books, we can cultivate the power of judgement, proper arrangement of things and marshalling of facts and figures in an impressive way. We will be able to execute different jobs rightly.
Read not to contradict, and confute to weigh and consider.”-Where is the line taken from? Explain the line.
Ans. This line has been taken from the famous essay “Of Studies”, written by Francis Bacon.
According to him, the purpose of reading should not be to just acquire learning with the help of which one’s opponent may be contradicted and defeated in a controversy. That is a very superficial kind of thing. Its purpose should not be to borrow opinions from people and accept them unquestioningly of true. That is the sign of an uncritical mind. Again, a man should not aspire to shine in conversation with the help of his learning. And, that should be a shollow display of one’s reading. The real purpose of learning is to develop the capacity for independent and critical thinking. A learned man in the true sense of the term should have the capacity to think rationally and critically about the complicated affair of human life.
“So every defect of the mind may have special receipt.”-Where is the line taken from? Explain the line.
Ans. Bacon suggests that the study of different subjects gives us different kinds of knowledge and intellectual training. The study of history gives us wisdom and insight; poetry makes us intelligent and sensitive; mathematics makes our thinking acute and exact; moral philosophy makes us grave logic and rhetorically increasing our ability to contend with our opponents in intellectual disputes. Just as different diseases of the body may be cured through different kinds of physical exercises, so the study of different subjects can remove different mental defects. If a man has weak memory and cannot call up post events, then he doesn’t have good memory and refer to post case and post judgements passed on them. The study of lawyers’ cases which will sharpen the power of mind.
What according to Bacon, are the different modes of study? What are the effect of reading, conference and writing?
Ans. According to Bacon, there are three modes of study as discussed in his essay ‘Of Studies’. They are reading, conference and writing.
Bacon has shown the different effects of reading, conference and writing. Reading provides only knowledge on the subject. It makes a complete man by driving away ignorance. Then conference means discussion on any topic with people. So it makes a man ready to face problems in practical life. Actually conversation makes a man ready to face all type of people and to deal with all type of affairs. At last, writing provides the pure gift of using the knowledge freely for own creation. In this way, it makes one an exact man.
How many type of books are there as mentioned in ‘Of Studies’? How may we approach each type of book?
Ans. According to Bacon, there are three types of books in ‘Of Studies.’ They are shallow books, swallowed books and best books.
Bacon here uses metaphor to express his view on various types of books for reading. When a number of food items are given to eat, some of the items are to be tasted, some to be swallowed and some few to be chewed and digested because they are the main dishes. Similarly there are some books to be read in parts, so we may skip through the pages only to taste it.
Some books are to be read completely. But these books need not be studied well. We can read them out of curiosity. But some other books are to be studied carefully and digested because their form and content are very important and useful for us in our daily lives.
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