CHAPTER III - OF THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF TRUTHS:—FIRST, THAT PARTICULAR TRUTHS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN GENERAL ONES

Summary

Necessity of determining the relative importance of truths.

I have in the last chapter affirmed that we usually recognize objects by the least essential characteristics. This very naturally excites the inquiry, what I consider their important characteristics, and why I call one truth more important than another. And this question must be immediately determined, because it is evident that in judging of the truth of painters, we shall have to consider not only the accuracy with which individual truths are given, but the relative importance of the truths themselves; for as it constantly happens that the powers of art are unable to render all truths, that artist must be considered the most truthful who has preserved the most important at the expense of the most trifling.

Misapplication of the aphorism: “General truths are more important than particular ones”

Now, if we are to begin our investigation in Aristotle's way, and look at the φαινóμσεα of the subject, we shall immediately stumble over a maxim which is in everybody's mouth, and which, as it is understood in practice, is true and useful; as it is usually applied in argument false and misleading. “General truths are more important than particular ones.”