Joshua Bennett
The transcendentals are a set of philosophical concepts that are particularly prominent in Catholic thought. While there is some disagreement about how many transcendentals there are, Saint Thomas Aquinas posited six: being, thing, one, something, good, and true. These concepts are considered to be properties of being, reflecting the divine origin of all things and the unity of all truth and reality in God. They are treated in relation to theology and are considered the ultimate desires of man.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Transcendentals | 6 |
| Transcendentals | Thing (res), Being (ens), Something (aliquid), The One (unum), The True (verum), The Good (bonum) and, according to some, Beauty (pulchrum) |
| Transcendentals in Catholic Thought | Unity, Truth, Goodness, Beauty |
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What You'll Learn
Transcendentals are properties of being
The transcendentals, from the Latin 'transcendentalia', refer to the "properties of being". They are timeless and universal attributes of being, reflecting the divine origin of all things and the unity of all truth and reality in God.
The transcendentals are treated in relation to theology proper, the doctrine of God. They are considered the ultimate desires of man, as man strives for perfection, which takes form through the desire for the perfect attainment of the transcendentals.
The transcendentals are:
- Truth (Verum)
- Unity or Oneness (Unum)
- Beauty (Pulchrum)
- Goodness (Bonum)
- Being or Thing (Ens, Res)
- Something or Otherness (Aliquid)
The first four transcendentals are the most commonly referred to, with the latter two being added later. They are found in theology, particularly in Catholic thought, and are considered the ultimate desires of man.
The transcendentals are closely intertwined, as they are ontologically one. For example, where there is truth, there is also being and goodness. They are a way of looking at reality, a reality that aligns with the way God made us. When we find truth in daily events, we can say this is good, because the truth corresponds to reality, which is beautiful to behold.
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Transcendentals are timeless and universal attributes
Transcendentals are fundamental concepts in Catholic philosophy and theology that refer to the attributes or qualities that are inherent in all beings and are timeless and universal. These attributes transcend individual cultures, societies, and historical periods, and are considered to be inherent in the very nature of reality itself. The transcendentals are often seen as the building blocks of moral and ethical systems, providing a foundation for understanding concepts of good and evil, right and wrong, and virtue and vice.
There are typically considered to be four transcendentals: truth, beauty, goodness, and unity. These four are often referred to as the "cardinal virtues" or the "transcendentals of being." Each transcendental represents a fundamental aspect of reality and is understood to be inherently interconnected with the others. While they are distinct concepts, they are seen as inseparable in practice, as each influences and informs the others.
Truth, the first transcendental, refers to conformity with fact or reality. It involves honesty, integrity, and a commitment to accuracy and factuality. In a moral sense, truthfulness implies sincerity and authenticity, acting in a way that aligns with one's inner values and beliefs. Beauty, the second transcendental, is often associated with harmony, proportion, and excellence. It involves an appreciation for aesthetics, whether in art, nature, or human creativity. Beauty can inspire feelings of awe, wonder, and joy, uplifting the human spirit.
Goodness, the third transcendental, pertains to moral virtue, righteousness, and justice. It involves acting in ways that promote the well-being and flourishing of others, treating people with respect, compassion, and fairness. Goodness entails living a virtuous life, cultivating positive qualities, and contributing to the common good. Unity, the fourth transcendental, refers to harmony, coherence, and oneness. It involves recognizing the interconnectedness of all things and striving for community, cooperation, and consensus. Unity entails overcoming divisions, fostering solidarity, and working towards a shared purpose or goal.
These four transcendentals provide a framework for ethical reflection and action, guiding individuals and societies toward truth, beauty, goodness, and unity in their thoughts, words, and deeds. They serve as enduring values that transcend cultural and historical boundaries, offering a foundation for moral decision-making and a compass for navigating the complexities of human existence.
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Transcendentals are treated in relation to theology
The transcendentals are treated in relation to theology proper, the doctrine of God. The transcendentals, according to Christian doctrine, can be described as the ultimate desires of man. Man ultimately strives for perfection, which takes form through the desire for perfect attainment of the transcendentals. The transcendentals are "properties of being", nowadays commonly considered to be truth, unity (oneness), beauty, and goodness. The conceptual idea arose from medieval scholasticism, namely Aquinas but originated with Plato, Augustine, and Aristotle in the West. From the time of Albertus Magnus in the High Middle Ages, the transcendentals have been the subject of metaphysics.
Although there was disagreement about their number, there was consensus that, in addition to the basic concept of being itself (ens), unity (unum), truth (verum) and goodness (bonum) were part of the transcendental family. Since then, essence (res), otherness (aliquid) and, more recently, beauty (pulchrum) have been added. Today, they are found in theology, particularly in Catholic thought, as unity, truth, goodness, and beauty. The Catholic Church teaches that God is Truth, Goodness, and Beauty, as indicated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Each transcends the limitations of place and time, and is rooted in being. The transcendentals are not contingent upon cultural diversity, religious doctrine, or personal ideologies, but are the objective properties of all that exists.
In the Middle Ages, Catholic philosophers elaborated the thought that there exist transcendentals (transcendentalia) and that they transcended each of the ten Aristotelian categories. A doctrine of the transcendentality of the good was formulated by Albert the Great. His pupil, Saint Thomas Aquinas, posited six transcendentals: ens, res, unum, aliquid, bonum, verum; or “being,” "thing", "one", "something", "good", and "true". Saint Thomas derives the six explicitly as transcendentals, though in some cases he follows the typical list of the transcendentals consisting of the One, the Good, and the True. The transcendentals are ontologically one and thus they are convertible: e.g., where there is truth, there is being and goodness also.
The transcendentals are notions, such as unity, truth, goodness, and being, which are wider than the categories, and, going beyond them, are said to transcend them. In a metaphysical sense, transcendent is opposed by the Scholastics and others to immanent; thus, the doctrine of Divine Transcendence is opposed to the doctrine of Divine Immanence in the Pantheistic sense. For the Scholastics, the categories are the highest classes of "things that are and are spoken of". The transcendentals are timeless and universal attributes of being. They are the properties of all beings. They reflect the divine origin of all things and the unity of all truth and reality in God. These elements are among the deepest realities. They help unite men across time and culture and are often a delight to explore and discuss, because they are substantive to our very nature.
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Transcendentals are notions that transcend categories
The transcendentals are notions that transcend categories. They are timeless and universal attributes of being, reflecting the divine origin of all things and the unity of all truth and reality in God. They are the properties of all beings, transcending the categories of the highest classes of "things that are and are spoken of".
The transcendentals are commonly understood to be truth, unity (oneness), beauty, and goodness. These four concepts are deeply intertwined. For instance, when we find truth in daily events, we can say this is good, because the truth corresponds to reality, which is beautiful to behold. These transcendentals lead us to God. When we question something to find truth, we are eventually led to the ultimate Truth, Christ himself, who is truth incarnate. When we look for the goodness of something, we look to the fidelity and flourishing of its nature; how God designed it to be. Beauty is the perfection, wholeness, unity, and proportionality of something.
The transcendentals are ontologically one and thus convertible. For example, where there is truth, there is also being and goodness. In Christian theology, the transcendentals are treated in relation to theology proper, the doctrine of God. According to Christian doctrine, the transcendentals are the ultimate desires of man. Man ultimately strives for perfection, which takes form through the desire for the perfect attainment of the transcendentals.
The concept of transcendentals arose from medieval scholasticism, with roots in the work of Plato, Augustine, and Aristotle in the West. The transcendentals have been a subject of metaphysics since the time of Albertus Magnus in the High Middle Ages. While there was disagreement about the number of transcendentals, there was a consensus that, in addition to the basic concept of being itself (ens), unity (unum), truth (verum), and goodness (bonum) were part of the transcendental family. Since then, essence (res), otherness (aliquid), and, more recently, beauty (pulchrum) have been added.
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Transcendentals are convertible
The transcendentals are "properties of being", commonly understood to be truth, unity (oneness), beauty, and goodness. The idea of transcendentals arose from medieval scholasticism, attributed to Aquinas, but with origins in the works of Plato, Augustine, and Aristotle. Transcendentals are considered to be above or beyond experience, and in a metaphysical sense, they are opposed to the immanent.
The transcendentals are considered convertible. This means that they are perfections that all things share in, in virtue of their being. They are the foundation of the reality and intelligibility of all that exists. They are related to a thing's being, either in relation to itself or other beings. For example, where there is truth, there is also being and goodness. Transcendentals are not contingent upon cultural diversity, religious doctrine, or personal ideologies.
The transcendentals are treated in relation to theology proper, the doctrine of God. According to Christian doctrine, they can be described as the ultimate desires of man. Man ultimately strives for perfection, which is achieved through the perfect attainment of the transcendentals.
The transcendentals are ontologically one, and so they are convertible. This means that they are mutually dependent and inseparable. Where one transcendental exists, the others are also present. This is because the transcendentals are properties of being, and so they are convertible with being. They are perfections that all things possess by virtue of their existence.
The convertibility of the transcendentals is a key aspect of their understanding. It implies that the transcendentals are not just abstract concepts, but that they have a concrete and tangible presence in the world. They are not merely ideas, but they are embodied in the reality of all things. This convertibility also highlights the unity and interconnectedness of the transcendentals. They are not separate or isolated, but they exist in relation to one another, forming a cohesive whole.
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Frequently asked questions
Transcendentals are "'properties of being', nowadays commonly considered to be truth, unity (oneness), beauty, and goodness.
The conceptual idea arose from medieval scholasticism, namely Aquinas, but originated with Plato, Augustine, and Aristotle in the West.
There are six transcendentals: ens, res, unum, aliquid, bonum, verum; or “being,” "thing", "one", "something", "good", and "true".
The Catholic Church recognises truth, beauty, and goodness as the transcendentals.
The transcendentals are treated in relation to theology proper, the doctrine of God. The transcendentals, according to Christian doctrine, can be described as the ultimate desires of man. Man ultimately strives for perfection, which takes the form of the perfect attainment of the transcendentals.
