Distinguishing True from False Teaching in AI-Generated Content
Distinguishing between true and false teaching is a recurring theme in Christian thought, with various traditions emphasizing different aspects of discernment. The early church, for instance, stressed the importance of Scripture as the primary criterion for truth [1]. Clement of Alexandria argued that those seeking truth should not cease their search until they find demonstration from the Scriptures themselves, alongside the use of mind and reason to differentiate between true and false propositions [1]. Tertullian similarly posited the priority of truth, viewing falsehood as a later perversion, akin to the devil sowing weeds among good seed [4].
From a Scholastic perspective, Thomas Aquinas explored the nature of falsity, noting that truth and falsity primarily reside in the intellect, not in things themselves, except in relation to the intellect [2]. He considered truth and falsity to be contraries [7]. Aquinas also addressed whether prophetically known or declared things could be false, concluding that prophecy, as knowledge impressed on the prophet's intellect by Divine revelation, shares the same truth as its divine teacher [5].
Augustine of Hippo, in his City of God, observed that the science of definition and division, though often applied to falsities by poets, false philosophers, or heretics, is not inherently false but derived from the reason of things [6]. He further explored the concept of falsity in his Homilies on John, noting that something is called false if it has a similitude of the true but is not truly what it appears to be. For example, a man seen in a dream is false because he has the similitude of a true man but is not real [10]. He also discussed how senses can be misled by "cozening similitude," such as dreaming of smells or tastes [8]. Augustine concluded that in various things subject to our senses, "that is called false which tends to be anything and is not" [9].
Reformed theology, as exemplified by John Calvin, emphasizes the danger of "different doctrine" or "new forms of teaching" [3]. Calvin interpreted the Greek term heterodidaskalein as teaching differently or after a new method, or teaching a different doctrine, specifically warning against those who introduce new doctrines for ambitious reasons [3]. This aligns with the broader biblical warning against being "tossed and blown about" by false teaching, stressing that mature Christians with a grounded knowledge of the Gospel and Christ can discern and resist such doctrines [11].
Sources
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 2: Hermas, Tatian, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria — CHAP. XVI.--SCRIPTURE THE CRITERION BY WHICH TRUTH AND HERESY ARE DISTINGUISHED.[3] (part 1): But those who are ready to toil in the most excellent pursuits, will not desist from the search after truth, till they get the demonstration from the Scriptures themselves. There are certain criteria common to men, as the senses; and others that belong to those who have employed their wills and energies in what is true,--the methods which are pursued by the mind and reason, to distinguish between true and false propositions. N”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), Concerning Falsity, Art. 1: Article: Whether falsity exists in things? I answer that, Since true and false are opposed, and since opposites stand in relation to the same thing, we must needs seek falsity, where primarily we find truth; that is to say, in the intellect. Now, in things, neither truth nor falsity exists, except in relation to the intellect. And since every thing is denominated simply by what belongs to it "per se," but is denominated relatively by what belongs to it accidentally; a thing indeed may be called false simply when co”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on 1-2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, section 4.4: is a compound, and, therefore, may either be translated, “to teach differently,” or after a new method, or, “to teach a different doctrine.” The translation given by Erasmus, ( sectari ,) “ to follow,” does not satisfy me; because it might be understood to apply to the hearers. Now Paul means those who, for the sake of ambition, brought forward a new doctrine. If we read it, “to teach differently,” the meaning will be more extensive; for by this expression he will forbid Timothy to permit any new forms of teaching to be introduce”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. XXXI.--TRUTH FIRST, FALSEHOOD AFTER WARDS, AS ITS PERVERSION. CHRIST'S PARABLE PUTS THE SOWING OF THE GOOD SEED BEFORE THE USELESS TARES.: Let me return, however, from this digression(1) to discuss(2) the priority of truth, and the comparative lateness(3) of falsehood, deriving support for my argument even from that parable which puts in the first place the sowing by the Lord of the good seed of the wheat, but introduces at a later stage the adulteration of the crop by its enemy the devil with the useless weed of the wild oats. For herein is figuratively describe”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part (Secunda Secundae), Of Prophecy, Art. 6: Article: Whether things known or declared prophetically can be false? I answer that, As may be gathered from what has been said (Articles [1],3,5), prophecy is a kind of knowledge impressed under the form of teaching on the prophet's intellect, by Divine revelation. Now the truth of knowledge is the same in disciple and teacher since the knowledge of the disciple is a likeness of the knowledge of the teacher, even as in natural things the form of the thing generated is a likeness of the form of t”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 35 .--THE SCIENCE OF DEFINITION IS NOT FALSE, THOUGH IT MAY BE APPLIED TO FALSITIES.: 53. Again, the science of definition, of division, and of partition, although it is frequently applied to falsities, is not itself false, nor framed by man's device, but is evolved from the reason of things. For although poets have applied it to their fictions, and false philosophers, or even heretics--that is, false Christians--to their erroneous doctrines, that is no reason why it should be false, for example, that neither in definition, nor i”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), Concerning Falsity, Art. 4: Article: Whether true and false are contraries? I answer that, True and false are opposed as contraries, and not, as some have said, as affirmation and negation. In proof of which it must be considered that negation neither asserts anything nor determines any subject, and can therefore be said of being as of not-being, for instance not-seeing or not-sitting. But privation asserts nothing, whereas it determines its subject, for it is "negation in a subject," as stated in Metaph. iv, 4: v. 27; for blindness is not sa”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 7: Augustine — Homilies on John — BOOK II. (part 10): from thyme, though brought from different hives, or by the touch to note the difference between the softness of the plumage of the goose and of the swan? A. It does not seem easy. R. And how is it when we dream that we either smell or taste, or touch such things? Are we not then deceived by a similitude of effects and images, inferior in proportion to its emptiness? A. Thou speakest truly. R. Therefore it appears that we, in all our senses, whether by equality or inferiority of likeness, are either misled by cozening similitude, o”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 7: Augustine — Homilies on John — BOOK II. (part 14): hereby false, because that which they tend to be they cannot be. R. Why need I now say more concerning the gliding towers, or the dipped oar, or the shadows of bodies? It is plain, as I think. that they are to be measured by this rule. A. Most evidently they are. R. I say nothing concerning the remaining senses; for no one by consideration will fail to find this, that in the various things which are subject to our sense, that is called false which tends to be anything and is not. 553 18. A. Thou speakest rightly; but I wonder why ”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 7: Augustine — Homilies on John — BOOK II. (part 8): let us first question the senses themselves. For certainly what the eyes see, is not called false, unless it have some similitude of the true. For instance, a man whom we see in sleep, is not indeed a true man, but false, by this very fact that he has the similitude of a true one. For who, seeing a dog, would have a right to say that he had dreamed of a man? Therefore too that is thereby a false dog, that it is like a true one. A. It is as thou sayest. R. And moreover, if any one waking should see a horse and think he saw a man, is”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 4:14: 4:14 We won’t be tossed and blown about: Mature Christians, with a well-grounded knowledge of the Good News and of Christ himself, will be able to discern and resist false teaching (see Gal 1:6-7; 3:1; Col 2:8-23; 1 Tim 1:3-7; 4:1-3; 6:3-5, 20; 2 Tim 4:3-4; Titus 1:11).”