Truth is... one approach to the attainment of the good, but in and of itself, it is neither the good nor the beautiful... Socrates, Pascal, and others regarded knowledge of the truth with regard to purposeless objects as incongruous with the good... [by] exposing deception, truth destroys illusion, which is the principle attribute of beauty.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Truth is a path to good but destroys illusion which is beauty's attribute, making truth distinct from beauty.
- In plain terms
- Truth helps reach good but kills illusion, which is essential to beauty, so they are different.
- What can you take from it?
- Truth exposes illusions that beauty often relies on.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Does truth destroy beauty?
- Is illusion necessary for art?
Another view
This framing assumes beauty relies on deception, which limits its moral potential.
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