Dunkirk101
11-07-2006, 02:26 AM
This is something that was e-mailed to me that I thought I'd share with you all. Who knows, there may even be a lesson to be learned from this ;)
Socrates Test Of Three
Keep this philosophy in mind the next time you either hear or are about
to repeat a rumor.
In ancient Greece, 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 Test of Three."
"Three?"
"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my
student, let's take a moment to test what you're going to say. The first
test 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 test, the test 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 though, because there is a Third
test -- 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 left, 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 sleeping with his wife.
Socrates Test Of Three
Keep this philosophy in mind the next time you either hear or are about
to repeat a rumor.
In ancient Greece, 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 Test of Three."
"Three?"
"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my
student, let's take a moment to test what you're going to say. The first
test 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 test, the test 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 though, because there is a Third
test -- 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 left, 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 sleeping with his wife.