Of Truth-Bacon

As a pragmatic and as an empirical thinker Bacon subscribed to the fundamental Renaissance

ideals—Sepantia (search for knowledge) and Eloquentia (the art of rhetoric). Here in the essay
Of Truth he supplements his search for truth by going back to the theories of the classical
thinkers and also by taking out analogies from everyday life. It is to be noted here that his
explication of the theme is impassioned and he succeeds in providing almost neutral judgements
on the matter. Again, it is seen that Bacon’s last essays, though written in the same aphoristic
manner, stylistically are different in that he supplied more analogies and examples to support or
explain his arguments. As this essay belongs to the latter group, we find ample analogies and
examples. Bacon, while explaining the reasons as to why people evade truth, talks of the Greek
philosophical school of sceptics, set up by Pyrro. Those philosophers would question the validity
of truth and constantly change their opinions. Bacon says that now people are like those
philosophers with the important difference that they lack their force and tenacity of argument. He
says that like him the Greek philosopher Lucian was equally puzzled at the fact that people are
more attracted to lies and are averse to truth. Bacon is surprised by the fact that people are
loathed to find out or even acknowledge truth in life. It seems to him that this is an innate human
tendency to do so. He finds evidence in support of his arguments in the behaviour of the ancient
Greek sceptics who used to question the validity of truth and would have no fixed beliefs. Bacon
thinks that people behave like those philosophers. But he understands that they lack their
strength of arguments. He then finds the Greek philosopher Lucian, while considering the matter,
was equally baffled. Lucian investigated and found that poets like lies because those provides
pleasure, and that businessmen have to tell lies for making profit. But he could not come to a
definite conclusion as to why people should love lies. Bacon says that men love falsehood
because truth is like the bright light of the day and would show up pomp and splendour of human
life for what they are. They look attractive and colourful in the dim light of lies. Men prefer to
cherish illusions, which make life more interesting. Bacon here gives an interesting analogy of
truth and falsehood. He says that the value of truth is like that of a pearl, which shines best in the
day-light, while a lie is like a diamond or carbuncle, which shines best producing varied rays in
dim light of candles. He comes to the conclusion that people love falsehood because it produces
imaginary pleasure about life. Bacon also examines the statement of one of the early Church
authorities, which severely condemned poetry as the wine of the devils. Bacon here shows that
even the highest art of man—poetry, is composed of lies. He seems to have compounded the two
statements made by two early Christian thinkers. He agrees with St Augustine who criticized
poetry as “the wine of error”, and with Hironymous, who condemned poetry as “the food of
demons”. The equation is that, since the devil or Satan works by falsehood, lies are its food.
Poetry tends to be Satanic because it resorts to falsehood while producing artistic pleasure.
Bacon, however, makes a distinction here between poetic untruth and fascination with falsehood
in everyday life. He thinks that poetic untruth is not harmful, as it does not leave lasting
impressions on the mind and character of a person. On the other hand, the lies, which are
embedded in the mind and control and regulate every thought and action of a person, are
harmful. Bacon refers to the Epicurean doctrine of pleasure, beautifully expressed by the famous
poet of that school, Lucretius, who considered the realization of truth to be the highest pleasure
of life. Bacon says that the value of truth is understood by those who have experienced it. The
inquiry, knowledge and the belief of truth are the highest achievements that human beings can
pursue. He amplifies the matter by giving an analogy from the Bible. According to him, God
created the light of the senses first so that men could see the world around them. The last thing
he created, according to him, was the light of reason, that is, the rational faculty. Bacon here
interestingly comments that, since he finished the work of Creation, God has been diffusing the
light of His spirit in mankind. He supports his argument by referring to the Epicurean theory of
pleasure beautifully expressed by Lucretius who held that there is no greater pleasure than that
given by the realization of truth. The summit of truth cannot be conquered and there is
tranquillity on this peak from which one can survey the errors and follies of men as they go
through their trials; but this survey should not fill the watcher with pity and not with pride. The
essence of heavenly life on this earth lies in the constant love of charity, an unshakable trust in
God, and steady allegiance to truth. At the concluding section of the essay Bacon explains the
value of truth in civil affairs of life. He is conscious of the fact that civil life goes on with both
truth and falsehood. He feels that the mixture of falsehood with truth may sometimes turn out to
be profitable. But it shows the inferiority of the man who entertains it. This is, he says, like the
composition of an alloy, which is stronger but inferior in purity. He then compares this kind of
way of life to that of a serpent, which is a symbol of Satan itself. Bacon finds a striking similarity
between the crooked and mean devices adopted by people and the zigzag movements of a
serpent. To clarify his point more clearly, Bacon quotes Montaigne who said that a man, who
tells lies, is afraid of his fellow men but is unafraid of God who is all perceiving. Bacon
concludes his arguments by saying that falsehood is the height of wickedness, and such that it
will invite the wrath of God on Doomsday.