The saying 'knowledge is power' is often used to explain how knowledge can help individuals or societies to take control and make decisions.

Example: Imagine a doctor who knows how to perform a surgery and a patient who doesn't. Here, the doctor's knowledge gives them power over the patient's health situation.

Francis Bacon, a 17th-century statesman and scholar, is often associated with the phrase "knowledge is power", even though he didn't say it verbatim.

Bacon was a proponent of experimentation to gain knowledge about the world, emphasizing empirical observation and a systematic, skeptical approach to uncover "hidden truths" in nature.

Example: Let's imagine you're a detective, investigating a mystery. Rather than just guessing the criminal, Bacon would advise you to gather evidence, look for clues (empirical observation), and then make a conclusion. This approach is a key aspect of modern science.

His writings often metaphorically depicted the natural world in gendered terms, with scientists as masculine figures extracting truths from nature, which have been criticized in recent years (refer to II.7 on feminist critiques of science).

Example: In movies, we often see scientists depicted as men, bravely seeking out truths. This gendered portrayal is akin to Bacon's descriptions and has been criticized for overlooking contributions from women and reinforcing gender stereotypes in science.