BIBLIOGRAPHY

Over ten years ago, the focus of my studies shifted from the Nature of Knowledge to the Nature of Truth. I have probed into thousands of references- books, articles and digitized files, dealing with that subject.

On this page I list books by writers who have commented on St. Augustine’s definition of Truth, primarily as expounded in his On Free Choice of the Will. Occasionally I will mention a book that does Not refer to On Free Choice as a sign of my disappointment at such an oversight.

The purpose of this ongoing investigation is to try and discover if anyone else has realized the importance of his definition and its relevance to the Christian faith, Philosophy, Logic and Mathematics.

***************************

Augustine, Aurelius (354-430 A.D.)
On Free Choice of the Will - (De Libero Arbitrio*)

*[Not to be confused with another book named On Grace & Free Will.]

The Latin text of Augustine’s book is available here.

The phrase veritas Deus est [= Truth is God] is on page 64, [2.15.39.153.]

The following English versions are available, listed here in chronological order:

On Free Will - (Book II only)

McKeon, Richard; Selections from Medieval Philosophers; Charles Scribner’s Sons; 1929

This two-volume set contains the first known English translation of part of De Libero. The author has compiled text beginning with Augustine in the fourth century and ending with William of Ockham in the 14th century. Most of the texts deal with the nature of truth. Brief valuable introductions to each writer are followed by summaries of their work, but interpretations are left to the reader.

The Free Choice of the Will

Tourscher, Francis E.; The Peter Reilly Co.; 1937

This is the earliest known complete translation in English of De Libero. It contains the Latin text and English translation in parallel on facing pages. An unusual topical index at the end is far too brief. The very few notes do not contribute to the Nature of truth discussion.

Saint Augustine on Free Will

Sparrow, Carroll Mason; Univ. of Virginia Studies, Vol. Four; 1947

This translation was based upon an incomplete Latin original. The book was published posthumously and missing sections were added by the editor. It contains no interpretive comments or a bibliography.

On Free Will

Burleigh, John H. S.; Library of Christian Classics, Vol. Six; 1953

Contains eight of Augustine’s books. Each book is preceded with Augustine’s review of it as given in his own Retractations. It is followed by an introduction and analysis or summary by the translator, whose comments on Augustine’s definition of Truth are not significant.

The Problem of Free Choice

Pontifex, Dom Mark; Ancient Christian Writers, Vol. 22.; 1955

Contains extensive comments and notes with references. The translator has not seen the significance of “Truth is God”.

On Free Choice of the Will

Benjamin, Anna S. & Hackstaff, L. H.; The Bobbs-Merrill Co.; LCCCN 63-16932; 1964

Translator’s introductory comments on Augustine’s definition of Truth are not significant.

The Free Choice of the Will

Russell, Robert P.; CUA Press; The Fathers of the Church, Vol. 59; 1968

Contains a few notes and a bibliography. The translator has not seen the significance of “Truth is God”.

On Free Choice of the Will;

Williams, Thomas; Hackett; ISBN 0-87220-188-0; 1993

Translator’s introductory comments on Augustine’s definition of Truth are not significant.

***************************

As of this date, I have found only a handful of writers who have made significant comments on Augustine’s definition of Truth. They are as follows, in chronological order:

1- Augustine, Aurelius (354-430 A.D.) The first person to comment on De Libero is Augustine himself. Near the end of his life, around 427, he wrote a fascinating and ground-breaking book called The Retractations. In it, Augustine comments upon and reviews 93 of his own books, some of which are no longer extant. In chapter 8, he discusses certain issues covered in De Libero. Unfortunately, he does not mention the nature of Truth. The Retractations, M. Inez Bogan, Trans.; CUA, 1999; ISBN 0-8132-0970-6.

2- Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109) refers to Augustine in his Concerning Truth; Hopkins, J., Ed.; Harper, 1967; LCCCN 67-10679; and endorses the idea that truth is eternal, but quickly falls into error by an uncritical acceptance of Aristotle’s definition of truth. The rest of the book is a record of his attempt to extricate himself from an impossible situation. He has not understood the import of Augustine’s definition of Truth, and begins with an unquestionable assumption that there is truth in “things.” His Proslogium and Monologium do not contribute to the nature of Truth discussion.

3- Grosseteste, Robert (1175-1235): On Truth, found in Selections from Medieval Philosophers by Richard McKeon, 1929, p263ff. Grosseteste was familiar with Augustine’s works and asked many right questions, but his answers show that he was an empiricist at heart. For an in depth critique of Grosseteste’s work, see this page.

The philosophy of several writers of the scholastic era are examined in four volumes written by Steven P. Marrone: The Light of Thy Countenance. Science and Knowledge of God in the Thirteenth Century; 2 Vols. Brill, 2001; ISBN 9-00411-947-7. Vol. 1. A Doctrine of Divine Illumination; deals with the ideas of Robert Grosseteste, William of Auvergne, Bonaventure, Gilbert of Tournai, John Pecham, Matthew of Aquasparta.
Vol. 2. God at the Core of Cognition; examines the epistemology of Henry of Ghent, Vital du Four, William of Ware & John Duns Scotus.

Two earlier works by Steven P. Marrone are: William of Auvergne and Robert Grosseteste: New Ideas of Truth in the Early Thirteenth Century; Princeton, 1983; ISBN 0-691-05383-9 and Truth and Scientific Knowledge in the Thought of Henry of Ghent. Medieval Academy of America, 1985. ISBN 0-910956-91-X.

Unfortunately the notion that Truth and God are identical, i.e. Truth Is God, has not occurred to these scholars or their expositor. They all begin with the assumption that they know what “truth” means, and build huge edifices on the shifting sands of scientific or mathematical “truth,” or on the alleged reliability of our senses.

4- Aquinas, Thomas (1225-1274): Truth; Mulligan, R. W., Trans.; Hackett Publishing. Co. 1994; ISBN 0-87220-267-4; 3 Volumes. (Vol. I, Q.1, p3-51).
The most extensive treatment of the subject by a Christian author. He could not free himself from the idea that geometric and mathematical propositions were eternally true. Aquinas references Augustine with respect to the nature of Truth more than any other author listed. It is must reading for the student of Truth.

5- Malebranche, Nicholas (1638-1715): The Search After Truth; Lennon, Thomas, Trans., 1997; (p233-234). ISBN 0-521-58995-9. Quotes Augustine’s theory verbatim, but rejects it out of hand. He believed “Truth is God” contradicted his belief that truth was evident in mathematics and science. Unlike many other writers, Malebranche seems to have grasped the implications of the proposition.

6- Clark, Gordon (1902-1985): A Christian View of Men and Things; Baker Book House, 1981; ISBN 0-8010-2466-8; (p318-321).
The first modern exposition of Augustine’s definition, but is left incomplete and un-interpreted. This book is a good introductory text on various philosophical issues from a Christian perspective.

7- Nash, Ronald (1936-2006): Faith and Reason; Academie Books, 1988; ISBN 0-310-29400-2; (p161-167).
The best modern restatement of Gordon Clark’s exposition of Augustine’s definition. It is evident that the author has not understood the implications of this definition and distorts it at the end by substituting “God is Truth” for “Truth is God.” He then tries to “improve” on Clark by introducing a theory of truth that shows that Dr. Nash was unable to free himself from empiricism. A precursor to this book is his The Light of the Mind; University Press of Kentucky, 1969; ISBN 08131-1175-7.

More on Dr. Nash’s ideas can be found here.

Ironically, the Christian faith of many authors has been the cause for their unjustified optimism in the ability of men to Discover Truth, a clearly impossible act.

Every writer mentioned above was influenced by Augustine’s incorrect assumptions about truth in Mathematics and Geometry. This grave but understandable error has misled philosophers down to the present day, and has prevented them from arriving at the correct definition of Truth.

Yet they could not and did not withhold judgment on such an important issue. They needed to take hold of any theory of truth that seemed plausible. In most cases, that has been the Correspondence theory. This error continues to propagate unbiblical definitions of Truth.

In addition, since the discussion on the Nature of Truth arises while Augustine is trying to prove that God exists, most commentators have been unable to see the forest for the trees. They have seen the discussion on truth solely in that context, but have not seen that a valid definition for Truth has been so ably presented.

______________________________________

The following substantial collections do Not mention or refer to Augustine’s definition of Truth.
- The Nicene and Post Nicene collection of writings by the Church Fathers does not contain Augustine’s De Libero, nor does The Great Books series published by Encyclopedia Britannica. Volume 3 of the latter (Syntopicon II) contains the most extensive references on the subject of Truth in one location, but Augustine’s book is mentioned only as Additional Reading and its ideas are not mentioned.

Other texts where Augustine and his thoughts on truth are mentioned, but which do not contribute to the discussion in a substantial manner:

- The article on Truth in Augustine Through the Ages ; Fitzgerald, A., Eerdmans, 1999, is worthwhile reading. This book is an invaluable resource on all things Augustinian. ISBN 080283843X

- A portion of Augustine’s Book II is given without comment in Faith and Reason; Paul Helm, ed., Oxford Readers, 1999. ISBN 0199256632

- Elders, Leo J.; mentions Augustine and truth on p. 246 of his The Philosophical Theology of St. Thomas Aquinas; Brill, 1990; but does not pursue the issue. ISBN: 90-04-09156-4

- Boyer, Charles; L’idée de vérité dans la philosophie de Saint Augustin ; Beauchesne Et Ses Fils, Paris, 1920.
A disappointing lack of insight into such an important subject. The author has not understood the nature of Truth.

- Portalié, Eugene (1852-1909): A Guide to the Thought of Saint Augustine; (1902) Bastian, Ralph J.; Trans., 1960. Greenwood Press, 1975, ISBN 0-8371-7992-0. Contains detailed analysis of Augustine’s theology. Unfortunately the concept of truth is touched upon very briefly and has not made a deep impression upon the author.

- Gilson, Etienne (1884-1978): The Christian Philosophy of Saint Augustine, (1929) Random House, 1960, LCCCN 60-12121. This book is a topical compendium of Augustine’s theology. Although the author does not seem aware of the Nature of Truth problem, the difference between “Truth” and “truth” is cited as necessary in dealing with Augustine’s uses of the word. The author’s brief comments and extensive quotes of the Latin original take up a third of the book. Many references and an index are also included.

- D’Arcy, M. C. et al; A Monument to Saint Augustine, Sheed & Ward, 1945. The writers of this collection of articles are under the incorrect impression that eternal truth can be found in mathematics. One can notice a hint of insight when they refer to “Truth” as something higher than “truth,” but their lack of knowledge of the nature of numbers and science puts them at a disadvantage.

^^^ RETURN TO TOP ^^^

The author is available for live presentations.

Your comments & questions are welcome at: Q&A@Truth-Defined.com

The reader is hereby given permission to copy and distribute any or all pages from this web site
as long as text and graphics is not altered and the copyright and this permission statement
is included as part of all copies. Information on this web site must not be used for any commercial purposes.