Triple Filter
Triple Filter
Keep this philosophy in mind the
next time you either hear, or are
about to repeat a rumor.
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? His name
is……"
"Wait a moment," Socrates
interrupted. "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’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 teacher and philosopher and
held in such high esteem.
