A little forum wisdom.....
Discussion
As there are hints and requests from some about what should and shouldnt be said in various guises here and there I thought a little wisdom wouldnt go amiss....
Keep this philosophy in mind the next time you 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?'
'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.'
'Test of Three?'
'That's correct,' 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 replied, '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 ashamed and said no more.
This is the reason Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.
It also explains why Socrates never found out that Plato was banging his wife.
Keep this philosophy in mind the next time you 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?'
'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.'
'Test of Three?'
'That's correct,' 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 replied, '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 ashamed and said no more.
This is the reason Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.
It also explains why Socrates never found out that Plato was banging his wife.
Edited by veryoldfart on Saturday 31st May 15:15
veryoldfart said:
As there are hints and requests from some about what should and shouldnt be said in various guises here and there I thought a little wisdom wouldnt go amiss....
Keep this philosophy in mind the next time you 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?'
'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.'
'Test of Three?'
'That's correct,' 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 replied, '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 ashamed and said no more.
This is the reason Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.
It also explains why Socrates never found out that Plato was banging his wife.
Whats your source for this though? Plato never mentions this (but of course he wouldn't), neither do Aristotle (Platos pupil, and again heavily influenced by Socrates, went on to teach Alexander) nor the main literary source Xenophon.Keep this philosophy in mind the next time you 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?'
'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.'
'Test of Three?'
'That's correct,' 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 replied, '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 ashamed and said no more.
This is the reason Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.
It also explains why Socrates never found out that Plato was banging his wife.
Edited by veryoldfart on Saturday 31st May 15:15
Unless of course this is just another internet forum b
ks quote, with neither provenance nor basis in historical fact, but that would never happen, surely?And anyway, Xanthippe just wasnt that sort of girl...
Edited by Jon C on Saturday 31st May 22:41
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