Philosophy Lesson
Whether you're making a decision about what to have for lunch or which media to include on your next schedule, you'll be filtering-out
certain criteria. We all do it and we can all learn something important from this:
In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC), Socrates was well known for his wisdom. One day the great Philosopher came upon an acquaintance,
who said excitedly, "Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students?"
"Wait a moment," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything 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, it might be a good idea to take a moment and 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 ..."
"Ah right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not - Now let's try the second filter, the 2nd 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, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though,
because there's one filter left: 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?"
This is why Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.
It also explains why he never found out that Plato was banging his wife.
Gacked from Chris Brewer. I couldn't resist - seriously made my day!
certain criteria. We all do it and we can all learn something important from this:
In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC), Socrates was well known for his wisdom. One day the great Philosopher came upon an acquaintance,
who said excitedly, "Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students?"
"Wait a moment," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything 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, it might be a good idea to take a moment and 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 ..."
"Ah right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not - Now let's try the second filter, the 2nd 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, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though,
because there's one filter left: 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?"
This is why Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.
It also explains why he never found out that Plato was banging his wife.
Gacked from Chris Brewer. I couldn't resist - seriously made my day!