Guest guest Posted September 9, 2008 Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 prof laxmi narain (prof_narain) Source and courtesy: Sri Ramana Kendram, Hyderabad This article was published in Sri Ramana Jyothi, monthly magazine of the Kendram. TALKING ABOUT OTHERS – SOCRATES'S ADVICE The following anecdote relates to celebrated Greek philosopher Socrates (469-399 BC). One day Socrates met an acquaintance who ran up to him excitedly and said: " Socrates do you know what I have just heard about one of your students? " " Wait a minute " said Socrates. " Before you tell me I would like to conduct a little test. It is called the Triple Filter Test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made sure that what you are going to tell me is true? " " No. " said the man, " Actually I just heard about it. " " All right " said Socrates, " so you don't really know if it is true. " Now let us try the second filter, Goodness. " Is what you are going to tell me about my student something good? " No, on the contrary… " Socrates continued , " You want to tell me something bad about him, even though you are not certain it is true. " The man shrugged, embarrassed. Socrates continued, now we apply the third filter – the filter of Usefulness. Is what you are going to tell me about my student is going to be useful to me? " " No, not really… " Socrates concluded, " If what you tell me is neither True not Good nor Useful, why tell it to me at all. " – L.R. Sabharwal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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