In the Catholic Times a person asked about the concept of truth, goodness and beauty of a seminary professor and below is the answer that was given. I have added unity to the list of three.
The concept of truth, goodness beauty and unity is both a philosophical and a theological concept, and comes from the attributes of God. God is the source of truth, goodness, beauty and unity. Truth, goodness, beauty and unity of this world are only finite concepts that reflect the essence of God. Because God is perfect, God's truth, goodness, beauty and unity are also perfect.
The truth, goodness beauty and unity in human beings can only be understood as analogous concepts resembling the true, goodness, beauty and unity of God. Therefore, human beings are said to be beings resembling God's image, which means analogically resembling God's attributes.
Therefore, the truth, goodness, beauty and unity experienced by human beings allow them to experience God analogically, and the deeper this experience, the higher the intensity of experiencing God.
After all, truth, goodness, beauty and unity are God's gifts to human beings so that they can know and worship God, and when they do it freely, they will become human beings who freely express their personality and take ethical actions.
In that respect, it is important to frequently experience and realize truth, goodness, beauty and unity
Because it will eventually lead humanity to God. Truth is the state of being in accordance with fact or reality. It is the ultimate goal in the search of all knowledge. Goodness is the state of being morally right or virtuous. It is the ultimate goal of all inquiry and action. Beauty is the state of being aesthetically pleasing or attractive the ultimate goal of all creative endeavors. Unity is the state of being integrated. It is the ultimate goal of all.
The transcendentals go back to ancient philosophy and understood as qualities that exist beyond the physical world and essential to human understanding and existence.
In Christian philosophy, the concept of the transcendental was developed by the Scholastic theologians, such as Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century. Aquinas taught that the transcendentals are attributes of God and are therefore inherently good. He argued that these qualities can be found in all things because they reflect God's goodness, truth, beauty, and unity.
However, today when we go to search on the internet for the transcendentals often we get three: the true, the good and the beautiful unity is missing. Our culture is not too interested in unity as we can see in our religions, politics, culture, race, and daily life. Materialism, our personal worldview, the value we give to things takes precedence over the dignity of the human being and the common good. What is useful is of more value than truth and the good.
The fundamental message of Sacred Scripture proclaims that the human person is a creature of God and sees in his being the image of God the element that characterizes and distinguishes him: "God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Gen 1:27). God places the human creature at the center and summit of the created order. Man (in Hebrew, "adam") is formed from the earth ("adamah") and God blows into his nostrils the breath of life (cf. Gen
2:7). Therefore, "being in the image of God the human individual
possesses the dignity of a person, who is not just something, but
someone. He is capable of self-knowledge, of self-possession and of
freely giving himself and entering into communion with other persons.
Further, he is called by grace to a covenant with his Creator, to offer
him a response of faith and love that no other creature can give in his
stead." (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church #108)
