ERROR

Truth is commonly defined as the conformity between intellect (knowledge) and reality. As the contrary of truth, error may be defined as a lack of conformity between knowledge and reality. Error is related to falsity as the specific to the generic: Falsity may be ontological (falsity in things—possible only in an improper sense); moral (falsity in speech—lying); or logical (falsity in thought—error). Thus error is logical falsity. As lack of conformity, error is to be distinguished from ignorance, which is defined as lack of knowledge.

Error is positive or negative. Positive error distorts reality. Negative error fails to detect some aspect of reality but does not distort it. If the undetected reality is not connaturally knowable, the error is merely negative. If it is, the error is privative. Thus to judge that white is black is positive error. Not to hear sound waves below a minimum frequency is merely negative error. Not to see a certain color in the spectrum under normal conditions is privative error.

Cognitive powers are naturally ordered to truth. Yet error is possible because knowledge is not mere passive reception but an active synthesizing and interpreting of innumerable, diverse data. Among the cognitive acts, judgment is subject to positive error; under the influence of faulty judgment, conceptualization also is subject to positive error; external sense perception is not subject to positive error. As inherently finite, all cognitive powers are subject to merely negative error; and if a given power is indisposed or poorly applied, to privative error. Error of judgment is error in the strictest sense of the term.

The cause of error is the knower's precipitancy in making unwarranted judgments under the influence of passion, prejudice, haste, inattention, and the like. Avoiding error therefore requires serious effort to attain genuine evidence and careful vigilance to avoid influences other than evidence when making judgments. As an influence on voluntarity, error is equivalent in effect to ignorance. Error also has moral relevance in that man's actual sins presuppose an error of judgment equating apparent good with true good.

See Also: intellect; senses; conscience; error, theological.

Bibliography: r. p. phillips, Modern Thomistic Philosophy, 2 v. (Westminster, Md. 1948) 2:120–124. f. van steenberghen, Epistemology, tr. m. j. flynn (2d ed. rev. New York 1949) 172–176. p. coffey, Epistemology, 2 v. (New York 1917; reprint 1958) 2:366–371. j. gredt, Elementa philosophiae Aristotelico-Thomisticae, ed. e. zenzen, 2 v. (13th ed. Freiburg im Br. 1961) 2:681–684. e. valton, Dictionnaire de théologie catholique, ed. a. vacant, 15 v. (Paris 1903–50; Tables générales 1951–) 5.1:435–446. l. w. keeler, "St. Thomas's Doctrine Regarding Error," The New Scholasticism 7 (1933) 26–57.

[j. b. nugent]