Morals of the Church
Library › Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology › Volume I › Book I. On the General Principles of the Christian Life › Treatise III. On Those Things which Dispose Toward Human Acts, or on Habits › Dissertation I. On Virtues › Part II. On Virtues in Particular › Section II. On Supernatural Moral Virtues › Chapter II. On Supernatural Moral Virtues in Particular › Article II. On Justice › § III. On the Potential Parts of Justice

point — Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology

Point V. On Truth

401.

I. Notion of Truth. Truth or veracity is a moral virtue inclining man faithfully to signify outwardly his own judgment (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 109, a. 1). It is said:

  1. His own judgment, that is, the concepts which he has in his mind about some matter.

  2. Faithfully to signify outwardly, that is, to communicate with others in conformity with his own mind.

Truthfulness (Veracity)

402.

II. Object of Truth. 1. The material object is formed by all the modes by which something can be communicated, whether signs, words, writings, or deeds.

  1. The remote formal object is the special reason of debt of signifying truth to others (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 109, a. 3); the proximate formal object is the special moral goodness shining forth in rendering the debt.

Truthfulness (Veracity)

403.

III. Opposed Vices. To truth is opposed every act of manifestation not agreeing with the internal concept; this act is called a lie if it is done by words, signs, or writings; simulation, if it consists in deeds.

Note. With truth coincides internal simplicity. "Simplicity," says the Angelic Doctor, "is said by opposition to duplicity, namely by which someone has one thing in his heart and shows another outwardly; and thus simplicity pertains to this virtue, that is, to truth" (II-II, q. 109, a. 2, ad 4).1

1 External simplicity in clothing, etc., according to St. Thomas, II-II, q. 169, a. 1, corpus, pertains to the virtue which is called modesty of attire, concerning which below; cf. St. Peter Damian, Opusculum 45 (M.P.L. 145, cols. 695-794 inclusive); Benedict XIV, De canonizatione et beatificatione Sanctorum, book 3, c. 24, nn. 11-12 (Padua edition, 1743, t. 3, pp. 211-213 inclusive).

SimulationTruthfulness (Veracity)