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Transcendental Taxonomy

Truth (Intellect)
General questions:
o  What is truth?
o  Can something be both true and false at the same time?
o  Can something be true one minute and false the next?
o  Can something be more or less true?
o  What faculty of the human person distinguishes truth?
o  What happens when truth is hidden or not discovered?
o  Can/Does truth lead us to God? 
o  Is there a connection between truth and goodness?
o  Is there a connection between truth and beauty?
o  Can something be true and not good?
o  Can something be true and not beautiful?

Applied questions:
o  Is this (selection, situation, example, event…) true? How do we know?
o  Is the thinking in the (selection, situation, example, event…) in accord with reality?
o  Is our thinking in accord with reality? Do we need to re-think this topic? 
o  Is the thinking in the (selection, situation, example, event…) align with revelation?
o  Does our thinking align with revelation? Do we need to explore further? 
o  Is the thinking in the (selection, situation, example, event…) clear or colored with emotion?
o  Are we looking at this (selection, situation, example, event…) clearly, with our senses      and reason properly attuned? 
o  Is the thinking in the (selection, situation, example, event…) properly ordered, rational, and logical?
o  Is our thinking properly ordered, rational, and logical?
o  Is the information and reasoning clear and precise? Are there areas that are unclear and need more attention? 
o  On what intellectual, moral, or intuitive principles are those in this (selection, situation, example, event…) basing this truth? 
o  On what intellectual, moral, or intuitive principles are we basing this truth?
o  Are inferences made in the (selection, situation, example, event…) in accord with correct reasoning?
o  Are our inferences in accord with correct reasoning?
o  What happens (in the novel, selection, example, event) because truth has not been uncovered, revealed, or disclosed? Would events have changed if truth had been uncovered, revealed, or disclosed?
o  Can the knowledge or situation under consideration be integrated with or expanded by the knowledge (truths) from another academic discipline or subject?
o  Now that we know this truth what other questions does it raise? What more do we want to know?
o  What does knowing this truth do to us?
o  Is the truth found in this (selection, situation, example, event…) also good? Beautiful?

Beauty (Emotion)
General questions:
o  What is beauty?
o  Why do we find certain things beautiful?
o  Is beauty different for different people?
o  How can things of very different categories be considered equally beautiful?
o  How does beauty affect us?
o  Does beauty elevate our minds and hearts to God?
o  Is beauty necessary for human flourishing?
o  Is there a connection between beauty and goodness?
o  Is there a connection between beauty and truth?
o  Can beauty be a vehicle for goodness/truth?

Applied questions:
o  Is “X” beautiful? Why or Why not?
o  Is beauty evident or missing in this (selection, situation, example, event…)?
o  Are some things more beautiful than others? Is this important or not? Why?
o  Which of these (selections, situations, examples, events…) is more beautiful and why? Why might others have thought this beautiful?
o  How does this person/thing attract? 
o  Does this person/thing use their God-given gifts to attract in a way that pleases God and draws others closer to God? 
o  What can happen when beauty is not used for the glory of God?
o  What is delightful, wondrous about this person/thing?
o  How does this shine? Radiate?
o  How is faithfulness to form or nature powerfully evident here?
o  What does this reveal about the nature of what is seen?
o  Where is there unity and wholeness here?
o  Where is there proportion and harmony here?
o  How does this reveal God’s graciousness, presence, and transcendence?
o  How does this beautiful (selection, example, situation, event) affect me? What does this response reveal about me?
o  Is this also Good? Is this also True?

Goodness (Will)
General Questions:
o  What is goodness?
o  How do we know goodness?
o  Is goodness different for different people?
o  Where and how is goodness evident? 
o  How does goodness perfect this thing’s purpose/end?
o  How does goodness effect the nature of this person/thing?
o  How does this thing perfect what is proper to it? How is it lacking?
o  What connection is there between goodness and truth? 
o  What connection is there between goodness and beauty?
o  Is goodness a vehicle for beauty? Truth?

Applied questions:
o  Is this (selection, situation, example, event…) overall good?
o  Who/what is good in this (selection, situation, example, event…)? How is this evident?
o  Where is goodness lacking in this (selection, situation, example, event…)? What is the effect of this lack of goodness?
o  Are some persons/things (selections, situations, examples, events…) “more good” than others? Is this important? Why or why not?
o  How does this goodness bring others closer to God? 
o  How does the goodness exhibited in this (selection, situation, example, event…) allow the person/thing to achieve its purpose/end?
o  How does the goodness exhibited in this (selection, situation, example, event…) allow the person/thing to fulfill its nature?
o  How does the goodness exhibited in this (selection, situation, example, event…)  hold up against Catholic worldview and values?
o  How does the goodness exhibited in this (selection, situation, example, event…) hold up against Catholic morality and virtue?
o  How does this reveal God’s presence and transcendence?
o  How does goodness exhibited in this (selection, situation, example, event…) affect me? What does this response reveal about me?

o  Does goodness exhibited in this (selection, situation, example, event…) connect with truth? With beauty? If so, how?

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