“Adaequatio rei et intellectus”, “the intellect [of the knower] must be adequate to the thing [known]”, as the Ancients put it. Truth is a kind of mirror of reality as seen, heard, felt, and then described by the subject. Truth should be objective because its reference is that which is born of the rupture: what “IS.” Therefore, it depends on the place, the time and the perceptions of the subject, which reflect an image of the truth to him, as with mirror symmetry, but slightly deformed (inverted sides). What is “true”, in this sense, is synonymous with what “IS”. Truth is living, it changes according to time and space. It cannot be one thing and its opposite. The principle of non-contradiction is its defence. Truth is only another facet of life, of the living and dynamic reality.

Untruths or lies are a distorted representation of reality; they only reflect the thoughts of the subject, they are self-referential. Truth is fragile; it depends on balanced force ratios, failing which it loses its objectivity, its reliability, and becomes subjective. In relations between a strong person and a weak one, it may occur that the person in the weaker position resorts to lies for protection. But the opposite is more serious: “Might makes right!” said La Fontaine. In such a case, the truth of the stronger person becomes ever more subjective, reflecting only his thoughts, his vision, his peace, his price; in other words, his falseness. A great imbalance corrupts the quality of the relationship.

Reality is ever changing, because interactions are constantly shaping, kneading and remodelling it. When we try to define truth through words or texts, without specifying any time or space criteria, we risk placing it out of touch in relation to the living and evolving reality. That is the problem of legislatures, which have a hard time adapting to the changes in reality.

Yet, there is an objective and specific truth, the reference of which is a kind of symmetry. These are the laws of nature, as described by mathematics. Equations are said to be “true” because they are symmetrical; however they “are” not, these are not living truths. They have no existence of their own, being merely descriptions of the laws that govern part of the universe.

Truth, like liberty, therefore appears as another facet of reality. It consists of a referential system and of interactions, i.e. perfect or slightly broken symmetries and force ratios.