Rumours... a learning experience

Jetski


Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 584

Message Posted:
10/10/2009 23:31

A SOCRATIC METHOD - THE TEST OF THREE

Keep this philosophy in mind the next time you hear, or are about to repeat a rumour.

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 goo

Jetski


Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 584

Message Posted:
10/10/2009 23:35

?"….."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

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
11/10/2009 00:53

Thank God it wasn't Aristotle as he was a bugger for the bottle and probably couldn't get it up!



Richard

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
11/10/2009 00:56

Jet we shoud all adopt hif reasoning. I always maintain there are 3 sides to a story yours mine and the truth xxJeannie a bit of Marion xxxx