Spuddy
Active member
Keep this philosophy in mind the next time you either hear or are
about
to repeat a rumour. In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC), Socrates
was widely lauded for his wisdom.
One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance who ran up
to him excitedly and said, “Socrates , do you know what I just
heard about one of your students?”
“Wait a moment,” Socrates replied. “Before you tell me I’d like you
to pass a little test. It’s called the Triple Filter Test.”
“Triple filter?” asked the acquaintance.
“That’s right,” Socrates continued. “Before you talk to me about my
student let’s take a moment to filter what you’re going to say. The
first filter is
Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell
me
is true?”
“No,” the man said, “actually I just heard about it.”
“All right,” said Socrates . “So you don’t really know if it’s true
or not.
Now let’s try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what
you are about to tell me about my student something good?”
“No, on the contrary ....”.
“So,” Socrates continued, “you want to tell me something bad about
him, even though you’re not certain it’s true?”.
The man shrugged, a little embarrassed. Socrates continued.” You
may
still pass the test though, because there is a third filter - the
filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my student
going
to be useful to me?”
“No, not really ....”
“Well,” concluded Socrates , “if what you want to tell me is
neither True nor Good nor even Useful, why tell it to me at
all?”
The man was defeated and ashamed. This is the reason Socrates was
a
great philosopher and held in such high esteem.
It also explains why he never found out that Plato was shagging his
wife.
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about
to repeat a rumour. In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC), Socrates
was widely lauded for his wisdom.
One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance who ran up
to him excitedly and said, “Socrates , do you know what I just
heard about one of your students?”
“Wait a moment,” Socrates replied. “Before you tell me I’d like you
to pass a little test. It’s called the Triple Filter Test.”
“Triple filter?” asked the acquaintance.
“That’s right,” Socrates continued. “Before you talk to me about my
student let’s take a moment to filter what you’re going to say. The
first filter is
Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell
me
is true?”
“No,” the man said, “actually I just heard about it.”
“All right,” said Socrates . “So you don’t really know if it’s true
or not.
Now let’s try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what
you are about to tell me about my student something good?”
“No, on the contrary ....”.
“So,” Socrates continued, “you want to tell me something bad about
him, even though you’re not certain it’s true?”.
The man shrugged, a little embarrassed. Socrates continued.” You
may
still pass the test though, because there is a third filter - the
filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my student
going
to be useful to me?”
“No, not really ....”
“Well,” concluded Socrates , “if what you want to tell me is
neither True nor Good nor even Useful, why tell it to me at
all?”
The man was defeated and ashamed. This is the reason Socrates was
a
great philosopher and held in such high esteem.
It also explains why he never found out that Plato was shagging his
wife.
<hr width=100% size=1>