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Socrates

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 .."

"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, 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
shagging his wife