Double-truth theory is the view that

religion Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, ...

and

philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...

, as separate sources of knowledge, might arrive at contradictory truths without detriment to either.

Latin Averroism

In medieval Europe, the Church was specifically opposed to " Latin Averroists" (see Averroës), such as the prominent Averroist

Siger of Brabant Siger of Brabant (''Sigerus'', ''Sighier'', ''Sigieri'' or ''Sygerius de Brabantia''; c. 1240 – before 10 November 1284) was a 13th-century philosopher from the southern Low Countries who was an important proponent of Averroism. Life E ...

. It sought to halt the spread of certain of

Aristotle Aristotle (; grc-gre, Ἀριστοτέλης ''Aristotélēs'', ; 384–322 BC) was a Greek philosopher and polymath during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. Taught by Plato, he was the founder of the Peripatetic school of phil ...

's doctrines — those that dealt with physical science (see Aristotelian physics, Condemnations of 1210-1277), which the reconquest of Spain and, accordingly, access to the libraries of the Moors had re-introduced into the Latin literate world.

Neoplatonism and Aristotelianism

At the time, much of the theology of the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

was influenced by Neoplatonic ideas, and Aristotelianism struck many as heretical. Siger and others seem to have conceded this, and to have used the sharp reason/faith distinction that came to be known as "double truth" as a way of legitimizing discussion of Aristotle despite that concession. The teachings of Aristotle came to be accepted as second only to the teachings of the Church.

Thomas Aquinas Thomas Aquinas, OP (; it, Tommaso d'Aquino, lit=Thomas of Aquino; 1225 – 7 March 1274) was an Italian Dominican friar and priest who was an influential philosopher, theologian and jurist in the tradition of scholasticism; he is known wi ...

, in his '' Summa Theologica'' (1267–73), rejected Neoplatonism and stated that there can be no conflict between reason and faith.

Revival in the Renaissance

Questions remained, and again came to the fore when scientists such as

Copernicus Nicolaus Copernicus (; pl, Mikołaj Kopernik; gml, Niklas Koppernigk, german: Nikolaus Kopernikus; 19 February 1473 – 24 May 1543) was a Renaissance polymath, active as a mathematician, astronomer, and Catholic canon, who formulated ...

made discoveries which seemed to contradict scripture. The doctrine of "double truth" was revived by the scholastics under the

rubric A rubric is a word or section of text that is traditionally written or printed in red ink for emphasis. The word derives from the la, rubrica, meaning red ochre or red chalk, and originates in Medieval illuminated manuscripts from the 13th cent ...

"two truths". Thus, according to the scholastics, there was a lesser truth, that the Earth circled the Sun, as Copernicus said, and a greater truth, that when

Joshua Joshua () or Yehoshua ( ''Yəhōšuaʿ'', Tiberian: ''Yŏhōšuaʿ,'' lit. 'Yahweh is salvation') ''Yēšūaʿ''; syr, ܝܫܘܥ ܒܪ ܢܘܢ ''Yəšūʿ bar Nōn''; el, Ἰησοῦς, ar , يُوشَعُ ٱبْنُ نُونٍ '' Yūšaʿ ...

fought at Jericho it was the Sun, not the Earth, which stood still. The scholastics held that both "truths" were true in their own sphere.

Francis Bacon Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Alban (; 22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626), also known as Lord Verulam, was an English philosopher and statesman who served as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England. Bacon led the advancement of both ...

exemplifies this concept in his book ''

The Advancement of Learning thumbnail, Title page ''The Advancement of Learning'' (full title: ''Of the Proficience and Advancement of Learning, Divine and Human'') is a 1605 book by Francis Bacon. It inspired the taxonomic structure of the highly influential ''Encyclopé ...

'' arguing that the fact that revelation was contrary to reason is what gave value to faith.''The History of Western Philosophy'' by Bertrand Russell (1947), Allen & Unwin, p. 564.

Revival in Contemporary continental philosophy

John Sallis, described by Simon Critchley as the first distinctive voice in American continental philosophy, addresses the question of 'double truth', bringing to it both his formative experiences as a student of classical philosophy as well as his commanding understanding of continental philosophy. In his 'Double Truth' (1995) he reframes the problem, suggesting that 'truth is the double of being' (xii). John Sallis, Double Truth: Religion and the Representation of the Past (SUNY Press, 1995). Reviewed by Steve W. Davis, 'Truth Otherwise than Truth: Wonder' Research in Phenomenology 26 (1996), pp. 276-283

and Michael D. Barber, Modern Schoolman 73 (2):186-186 (1996)

Also the subject of chapter ten of Berndard Freydburg, The Thought of John Sallis: Phenomenology, Plato, Imagination OI: 10.2307/j.ctv47w64n.19

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Double truth Scholasticism Religious philosophical concepts Truth