Whether Lying Is Always Opposed to Truth?
Objection 1: It seems that lying is not always opposed to truth. For
opposites are incompatible with one another. But lying is compatible
with truth, since he that speaks the truth, thinking it to be false,
lies, according to Augustine (Lib. De Mendac. iii). Therefore lying
is not opposed to truth.
Obj. 2: Further, the virtue of truth applies not only to words but
also to deeds, since according to the Philosopher (Ethic. iv, 7) by
this virtue one tells the truth both in one's speech and in one's
life. But lying applies only to words, for Augustine says (Contra
Mend. xii) that "a lie is a false signification by words."
Accordingly, it seems that lying is not directly opposed to the
virtue of truth.
Obj. 3: Further, Augustine says (Lib. De Mendac. iii) that the
"liar's sin is the desire to deceive." But this is not opposed to
truth, but rather to benevolence or justice. Therefore lying is not
opposed to truth.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (Contra Mend. x): "Let no one doubt
that it is a lie to tell a falsehood in order to deceive. Wherefore a
false statement uttered with intent to deceive is a manifest lie."
But this is opposed to truth. Therefore lying is opposed to truth.
_I answer that,_ A moral act takes its species from two things, its
object, and its end: for the end is the object of the will, which is
the first mover in moral acts. And the power moved by the will has
its own object, which is the proximate object of the voluntary act,
and stands in relation to the will's act towards the end, as material
to formal, as stated above (I-II, Q. 18, AA. 6, 7).
Now it has been said above (Q. 109, A. 1, ad 3) that the virtue of
truth--and consequently the opposite vices--regards a manifestation
made by certain signs: and this manifestation or statement is an act
of reason comparing sign with the thing signified; because every
representation consists in comparison, which is the proper act of the
reason. Wherefore though dumb animals manifest something, yet they do
not intend to manifest anything: but they do something by natural
instinct, and a manifestation is the result. But when this
manifestation or statement is a moral act, it must needs be
voluntary, and dependent on the intention of the will. Now the proper
object of a manifestation or statement is the true or the false. And
the intention of a bad will may bear on two things: one of which is
that a falsehood may be told; while the other is the proper effect of
a false statement, namely, that someone may be deceived.
Accordingly if these three things concur, namely, falsehood of what
is said, the will to tell a falsehood, and finally the intention to
deceive, then there is falsehood--materially, since what is said is
false, formally, on account of the will to tell an untruth, and
effectively, on account of the will to impart a falsehood.
However, the essential notion of a lie is taken from formal
falsehood, from the fact namely, that a person intends to say what is
false; wherefore also the word _mendacium_ (lie) is derived from its
being in opposition to the _mind._ Consequently if one says what is
false, thinking it to be true, it is false materially, but not
formally, because the falseness is beside the intention of the
speaker so that it is not a perfect lie, since what is beside the
speaker's intention is accidental for which reason it cannot be a
specific difference. If, on the other hand, one utters falsehood
formally, through having the will to deceive, even if what one says
be true, yet inasmuch as this is a voluntary and moral act, it
contains falseness essentially and truth accidentally, and attains
the specific nature of a lie.
That a person intends to cause another to have a false opinion, by
deceiving him, does not belong to the species of lying, but to
perfection thereof, even as in the physical order, a thing acquires
its species if it has its form, even though the form's effect be
lacking; for instance a heavy body which is held up aloft by force,
lest it come down in accordance with the exigency of its form.
Therefore it is evident that lying is directly an formally opposed to
the virtue of truth.
Reply Obj. 1: We judge of a thing according to what is in it formally
and essentially rather than according to what is in it materially and
accidentally. Hence it is more in opposition to truth, considered as
a moral virtue, to tell the truth with the intention of telling a
falsehood than to tell a falsehood with the intention of telling the
truth.
Reply Obj. 2: As Augustine says (De Doctr. Christ. ii), words hold
the chief place among other signs. And so when it is said that "a lie
is a false signification by words," the term "words" denotes every
kind of sign. Wherefore if a person intended to signify something
false by means of signs, he would not be excused from lying.
Reply Obj. 3: The desire to deceive belongs to the perfection of
lying, but not to its species, as neither does any effect belong to
the species of its cause.
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