Sophie Weeks

Dr. Sophie Weeks is a Senior Lecturer in Early Modern History at the University of York's Department of History, affiliated with the Centre for Renaissance and Early Modern Studies and the Centre for the History of Philosophy. Her research specializes in early modern intellectual history with a focus on Francis Bacon and the history of science, particularly the relationship between science and magic during the Scientific Revolution.

Dr. Weeks' current book project Francis Bacon's Science of Magic argues that Bacon proposed a science of magic as the core of his reform program for natural knowledge. She challenges occultist interpretations by demonstrating how Bacon sought to produce 'wonders' through methodical experimentation while rejecting occult theoretical frameworks. Dr. Weeks is also co-editing Volume 5 of the Oxford Francis Bacon edition, containing Bacon's early philosophical writings. Her next major project investigates the historical emergence of the concept of 'laws of nature' during the Scientific Revolution.