Truthfullness

Truthfulness or veracity is the conforming of speech with fact, or, at any rate, with fact as known. It is the agreement of what is in the mind with what is on the lips. Truthfulness is a virtue, and a moral virtue.

Truthfulness is a special virtue, distinct from others. Goodness is the end and object of every moral virtue, and each special virtue is specified, or made a distinct virtue on its own account, by the special aspect of goodness which it seeks or serves. Now, the goodness which truthfulness specifically seek sand serves is that of agreement between thought and speech. Hence,truthfulness is a special virtue.

St. Jerome speaks of the truth of life, the truth ofjustice, and the truth of doctrine. The truth of life means the sum total of all virtues that can perfect a person; the truth ofjustice is justice itself; the truth of doctrine is true teaching. Truthfulness as a moral virtue is not one of these three objective types of truth; it is a subsidiary or subordinate virtue, yet a distinct one, included under justice. Justice requires balance and due equality. Now, there are balance and due equality, in a moral sense, when what is said agrees with what is known.

Truthfulness as a virtue inclines a person to moderate expression and avoids exaggeration. It does not demand that a mantell all he knows; it demands only that what he does tell be thetruth as he knows it. Its obligation is not, in itself, a requirement to tell everything; its obligation is that a person speaking must not tell lies.