The Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth

Abstract

„Much truth is spoken, that more may be concealed,” wrote Mr. Justice Darling in 1879. Opening with an articulation of the distinction between truth (the concept or phenomenon) and truths (particular true propositions), and of some thoughts about vagueness, this paper is largely devoted to:

(1) developing an account of the dual meaning of „partially true” (true-in-part vs. part-of-the-truth); and

(2) understanding the reasons for, and the dangers of, the very common tendency to mislead by telling only part of the relevant truth.