It is evolutionarily advantageous to skew the function of truth in certain ways, including the most immediate kind of truth which notionally expresses the self-witnessing of consciousness. In spite of this, and of knowing this, truth is taken to be a criterion more rigorous and objective than relative advantage. The notion of truth is constrained to reflect on itself. This gives it a special status among ideas or ideals - a status which could not arise without pointing either forwards or backwards towards reality.