Keep this in mind the next time you either hear or are about
to repeat a rumour! (sent in by an old pal)

In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC), Socrates was well known
for his wisdom. One day the great philosopher came upon an
acquaintance who said excitedly, "Socrates, do you know
what I just heard about one of our students?"

Wait a moment," Socrates replied. "Before telling me
anything 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, it might be a good idea to take a moment
and 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, but you're not certain it's true. You may still
pass the test though, because there's one filter left: 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?".

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.