1_XLR
Active LVC Member
> Keep this in mind the next time you either hear or are about to repeat
> a rumor.
>
> In ancient Greece, Socrates (469 - 399 BC) was widely lauded for his
> wisdom.
>
> One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance that 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?"
>
> "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 and..."
>
> "All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or
> not.
>
> Now let us 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 is 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 Plato was banging his wife.
>
> a rumor.
>
> In ancient Greece, Socrates (469 - 399 BC) was widely lauded for his
> wisdom.
>
> One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance that 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?"
>
> "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 and..."
>
> "All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or
> not.
>
> Now let us 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 is 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 Plato was banging his wife.
>