Francis Bacon’s The Advancement of Learning attempted to draw a distinction between two kinds of ‘truth’. Which are these?

The correct option is Theological Truth and Scientific Truth.

In his seminal work The Advancement of Learning (1605), the philosopher Francis Bacon argued for a clear separation between the domain of divinity (religion) and the domain of natural philosophy (science). He cautioned that conflating the two led to both erroneous science and compromised theology.

According to Bacon:
1. Theological Truth is derived from divine revelation, scripture, and faith. It governs the spiritual realm, salvation, and moral laws, which are beyond the reach of human sensory observation and rational deduction.
2. Scientific Truth (or natural truth) is derived from the study of God's works (the physical universe). It is discovered through empirical observation, systematic experimentation, and inductive reasoning.

By drawing this distinction, Bacon laid the philosophical foundation for modern scientific inquiry, asserting that the physical world should be investigated on its own terms, free from theological dogmatism, while still preserving faith as a separate and valid source of spiritual truth.