Final answer:
Francis Bacon's ideas were fundamental to the development of empiricism, which emphasizes knowledge acquisition through sensory experience and observation, leading to the scientific method.
Step-by-step explanation:
This philosophical standpoint is grounded on the belief that knowledge comes from sensory experience and observation. Bacon advocated for an inductive approach to scientific inquiry, where deductions are made from patterns observed in nature. The process of testing these deductions through further systematic observation is the foundation of the scientific method. Empiricism is central to how contemporary Western societies conduct objective research and how humanity harnesses science and technology to manipulate and control nature.