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 banging his wife.
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 banging his wife.
