--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no doubt that truth is to…" description: "\"There is no doubt that truth is to falsehood as light is to darkness; and so excellent a thing is truth that even when it touches humble and lowly matt..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/leonardo-da-vinci-330_darkness_there-is-no-doubt-that-truth-is-to-false_2931402.jpg" --- # There is no doubt that truth is to falsehood as light is… ![“There is no doubt that truth is to falsehood as light is to darkness; and so excellent a thing is truth that even when it touches humble and lowly matters, it still incomparably exceeds the uncertainty and falsehood in which great and elevated discourses are clothed; because even if falsehood be…” quote by Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/leonardo-da-vinci-330_darkness_there-is-no-doubt-that-truth-is-to-false_2931402.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/leonardo-da-vinci-330_darkness_there-is-no-doubt-that-truth-is-to-false_2931402.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/leonardo-da-vinci-330_darkness_there-is-no-doubt-that-truth-is-to-false_2931402.jpg) > “There is no doubt that truth is to falsehood as light is to darkness; and so excellent a thing is truth that even when it touches humble and lowly matters, it still incomparably exceeds the uncertainty and falsehood in which great and elevated discourses are clothed; because even if falsehood be the fifth element of our minds, notwithstanding this, truth is the supreme nourishment of the higher intellects.” [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Truth surpasses falsehood, illuminating even humble matters, nourishing higher intellect. **In simple terms:** Truth outshines lies and enlightens. Key Takeaway Seek truth to elevate understanding. Themes philosophy truth knowledge enlightenment Mood inquisitive reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - scientific research - ethical debates - education - personal reflection Key Concepts epistemology intellectual growth Questions to Reflect On - How do you discern truth in complex issues? - What role does truth play in personal growth? A Different Perspective Truth can be subjective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Discourse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discourse/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Falsehood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falsehood/) [Fifth element](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fifth-element/) [Humble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humble/) [Intellect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellect/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Nourishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nourishment/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Uncertainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncertainty/) ## Related quotes > [We want to assert the very principle that truth is absolute, truth is supreme, truth is never disposable in national political life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-howard/we-want-to-assert-the-very-principle-that-truth-is-absolute-truth-is/) [John Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-howard/) > [Mathematics rightly viewed possesses not only truth but supreme beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/mathematics-rightly-viewed-possesses-not-only-truth-but-supreme-beauty/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [History is in a manner a sacred thing, so far as it contains truth; for where truth is, the supreme Father of it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/history-is-in-a-manner-a-sacred-thing-so-far-as-it-contains-truth-for/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [Truth is absolute, truth is supreme, truth is never disposable in national political life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-howard/truth-is-absolute-truth-is-supreme-truth-is-never-disposable-in/) [John Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-howard/) > [Just as food eaten without appetite is a tedious nourishment, so does study without zeal damage the memory by not assimilating what it absorbs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/just-as-food-eaten-without-appetite-is-a-tedious-nourishment-so-does/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Old age takes in part savoury wisdom for its food - see to that your old age will not lack in nourishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/old-age-takes-in-part-savoury-wisdom-for-its-food-see-to-that-your/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Learning acquired in youth arrests the evil of old age; and if you understand that old age has wisdom for its food, you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/learning-acquired-in-youth-arrests-the-evil-of-old-age-and-if-you/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Remember the saying, What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger? It's true!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/remember-the-saying-what-doesn-t-kill-you-makes-you-stronger-it-s-true/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Hunger feeds the need to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-kaufman/what-doesn-t-kill-you-makes-you-stronger-hunger-feeds-the-need-to/) [Steve Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-kaufman/) > [If 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger,' how do you explain zombies?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-saget/if-what-doesn-t-kill-you-makes-you-stronger-how-do-you-explain-zombies/) [Bob Saget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-saget/) > [“In addition, Dr. Dannyboy has suggested a fifth element: positive thinking. Pointing out that their breathing, bathing, dining and screwing brought Alobar and Kudra…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/in-addition-dr-dannyboy-has-suggested-a-fifth-element-positive/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [ When I did The Fifth Element \[1997\], it was like, "Oh my goodness, who is this character?" I loved doing Resident Evil, but Resident… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milla-jovovich/when-i-did-the-fifth-element-1997-it-was-like-oh-my-goodness-who-is/) [Milla Jovovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milla-jovovich/) > [“Jasmine thought of her powers, her real powers, as coming from a fifth element, a quintessential world that was everywhere but for most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maughan/jasmine-thought-of-her-powers-her-real-powers-as-coming-from-a-fifth/) [Peter Maughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-maughan/) > [Whoa, lady, I only speak two languages, English and bad English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-willis/whoa-lady-i-only-speak-two-languages-english-and-bad-english/) [Bruce Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-willis/) > [“We can be sure that the fifth element (idea) was immaterial for Plato and Aristotle, who used the term aether. The fifth element (Latin:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/we-can-be-sure-that-the-fifth-element-idea-was-immaterial-for-plato/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) ## More by Leonardo da Vinci > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black, because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/a-painter-should-begin-every-canvas-with-a-wash-of-black-because-all/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Nothing can be love or hated unless it is first known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/nothing-can-be-love-or-hated-unless-it-is-first-known/) [Leonardo Da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [An arch consists of two weaknesses which, leaning one against the other, make a strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/an-arch-consists-of-two-weaknesses-which-leaning-one-against-the/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [But to me all sciences seem vain and full of error that are not born of experience, mother of all certainty, and do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/but-to-me-all-sciences-seem-vain-and-full-of-error-that-are-not-born/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [“Time stays long enough for those who use it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/time-stays-long-enough-for-those-who-use-it/) [Leonardo Da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [It is ordained that to the ambitious, who derive no satisfaction from the gifts of life and the beauty of the world, life shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/it-is-ordained-that-to-the-ambitious-who-derive-no-satisfaction-from/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Be a mirror, absorb everything around you and still remain the same](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/be-a-mirror-absorb-everything-around-you-and-still-remain-the-same/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Your brain is much better than you think; just use it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/your-brain-is-much-better-than-you-think-just-use-it/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Necessity is a guardian in Nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/necessity-is-a-guardian-in-nature/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Human subtlety will never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple or more direct than does nature because in her inventions nothing is lacking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/human-subtlety-will-never-devise-an-invention-more-beautiful-more/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [People reveal themselves completely only when they are thrown out of the customary conditions of their life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/people-reveal-themselves-completely-only-when-they-are-thrown-out-of/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [To be a winner you must want to win but must know of the chance of losing and must not fear of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/to-be-a-winner-you-must-want-to-win-but-must-know-of-the-chance-of/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Nature is so delightful and abundant in its variations that among trees of the same kind there would not be found one which nearly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/nature-is-so-delightful-and-abundant-in-its-variations-that-among/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Wisdom is the daughter of experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/wisdom-is-the-daughter-of-experience/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) [Explore all 664 Leonardo da Vinci quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) ## More Darkness quotes > [“Narrative cannot sustain formlessness any more than light can sustain darkness - it is the antithesis of formlessness, and so it can never truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/narrative-cannot-sustain-formlessness-any-more-than-light-can-sustain/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“Wait here, wait here!" he cried and jumped up and began to run for help toward a cluster of lights he saw in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/wait-here-wait-here-he-cried-and-jumped-up-and-began-to-run-for-help/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [Strange - is it not? That of the myriads who Before us passed the door of Darkness through, Not one returns to tell us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/strange-is-it-not-that-of-the-myriads-who-before-us-passed-the-door/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Clear moments are so short. There is much more darkness. More ocean than terra firma. More shadow than form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-zagajewski/clear-moments-are-so-short-there-is-much-more-darkness-more-ocean/) [Adam Zagajewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-zagajewski/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“I promise to respect and protect your aloneness, knowing that everything created must have its period of darkness: child and bulb, poem and personality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/i-promise-to-respect-and-protect-your-aloneness-knowing-that/) [anne morrow lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [The beauty of darkness is how it lets you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/the-beauty-of-darkness-is-how-it-lets-you-see/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“Even in darkness your lips taste of sunshine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/even-in-darkness-your-lips-taste-of-sunshine/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“Defy me not for gleam can only shine in my existence" said Darkness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/defy-me-not-for-gleam-can-only-shine-in-my-existence-said-darkness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What does he look like? The question was soft- tentative. I knew who he meant. I interlaced my fingers through Rhysand's and squeezed tightly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/what-does-he-look-like-the-question-was-soft-tentative-i-knew-who-he/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [The dream of coming back is becoming a reality. A lot of the uncertainty about the future has been cleared up. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tagliabue/the-dream-of-coming-back-is-becoming-a-reality-a-lot-of-the/) [Paul Tagliabue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tagliabue/) > [“Life is like coffee, the darker it gets, the more it energizes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankita-singhal/life-is-like-coffee-the-darker-it-gets-the-more-it-energizes/) [Ankita Singhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankita-singhal/) > [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) Nicole Gentile [Browse all 8,219 Darkness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is no doubt that truth is to falsehood as light is to darkness; and so excellent a thing is truth that even when it touches humble and lowly matters, it still incomparably exceeds the uncertainty and falsehood in which great and elevated discourses are clothed; because even if falsehood be the fifth element of our minds, notwithstanding this, truth is the supreme nourishment of the higher intellects.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leonardo da Vinci" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/there-is-no-doubt-that-truth-is-to-falsehood-as-light-is-to-darkness/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Darkness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/there-is-no-doubt-that-truth-is-to-falsehood-as-light-is-to-darkness/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/leonardo-da-vinci-330_darkness_there-is-no-doubt-that-truth-is-to-false_2931402.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/leonardo-da-vinci-330_darkness_there-is-no-doubt-that-truth-is-to-false_2931402.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/leonardo-da-vinci-330_darkness_there-is-no-doubt-that-truth-is-to-false_2931402.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is no doubt that truth is to falsehood as light is to darkness; and so excellent a thing is truth that…” — Leonardo da Vinci", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Leonardo da Vinci", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is no doubt that truth...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/there-is-no-doubt-that-truth-is-to-falsehood-as-light-is-to-darkness/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/there-is-no-doubt-that-truth-is-to-falsehood-as-light-is-to-darkness/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```