Chapter 016 - Of Truth

Truth resides principally in the intellect, and secondarily in things accordingly as they are related to the intellect as to their principle. Truth is the object of the intellect, and stands to it as good does to the will, with this difference, that the good to which desire tends is in the thing desired; while truth, which is the end of the mind, is found in the intellect itself. Hence a true thing is so denominated from its relation to the intellect from which it depends, as a house is called true as it realizes the likeness in the architect’s mind, and natural things are called true as they realize the likeness of the species in the Divine Mind.

Truth, strictly speaking, exists only in the created mind joining and dividing terms by reasoning, for everything is true according to the form of its own nature. Thus the intellect knows because it is made like to the objects known; and truth is the agreement of intellect and object, and therefore to know Truth is to know the agreement of knowledge with the thing known. Thus not sense, nor intellect as a mere power, but intellect judging a thing to be as it is apprehended to be, first knows and then pronounces a thing to be true. Hence the intellect knows truth by reason, that is, by composing and dividing; and accordingly truth exists only so far as this method is carried out.

Truth and Being are convertible, because things are knowable so far as they have being. If good be convertible with being, as it is, so is truth. Good adds to being the notion of desirability, while truth has direct relation to the mind. While truth and being are convertible terms, the true is, strictly speaking, prior to good, for it is nearer to being regarded simply and directly, while good follows upon being considered as in some degree perfect and desirable. For it is clear that knowledge precedes desire; and hence as the true is referred to the mind, and the good to desire, the idea of truth is prior to that of good. God is not only Truth, but the highest and first Truth, His Being is not only conformed to His Intellect, but It is His own very Act of Understanding, the measure and cause of all other being, and of every other intellect. Hence Truth is not only in God, but is His own very Existence, and the highest and primary Truth.

Truth as the standard of all other truths in creatures is in a sense one, and in a sense not one; for truth is first in the intellect, and afterwards in things as they have relation to the Divine Mind. Wherefore if we speak of truth in the intellect according to its own nature, we find many truths in the many created intellects, also in the many thoughts of one intellect. If we speak of truth in things, all are true by virtue of one primal Truth, to which each one is assimilated according to its being; and however many essences or forms there are, still there is but one Truth in the Divine Mind, which is the Rule of Truth in all things.

Things being denominated as true by the truth of the intellect, no created truth can be eternal. And so, if no created intellect can be eternal, nor any created truth, whereas the Divine Intellect alone is eternal, Truth is eternal there alone, and immutable, for truth of the intellect consists in its conformity to its objects, and this can change on the part of the created intellect and on the part of its object. An intellect beyond the risk of change of any kind, and extending itself in its knowledge to everything, is in its Truth immutable. This is the prerogative of the Divine Intellect, and, therefore, Its Truth is immutable; but the truth of our intellect is mutable.