Thursday, June 08, 2006

Triple Filter Test

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 alittle 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 isTruth. 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'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 (his student) was
having an affair with his wife.