The importance of filters
A filter serves to select what is considered best or most important. In this sense, they explain that, once, one of Socrates’ disciples went there to explain to him how a friend of his had behaved. Socrates stopped him and, before letting him speak, asked him: Before you continue, say, have you passed what you have to say to me through the three filters? That is, have you checked whether it is true, good and useful?
The three filters of Socrates
Faced with the disciple’s face of incomprehension, Socrates added: OK, let’s start with the first. Is what you have to tell me true?
Disciple: Well, actually I’m not sure that’s true, but someone told me that they told him…
Socrates: So let’s see the second filter. Is what you have to tell me a good thing?
Disciple: then rather not.
Socrates: Well, let’s hope that at least what you want to explain to me will be useful for me.
Disciple: So no, it’s not exactly useful.
Then Socrates concluded: if what you want to explain to me does not bring me any certainty, nor any goodness, nor does it serve me anything, it is better that you do not explain it to me, and what is more, it is better that you forget it.
Apply the filters to our life
Faced with these wise reflections, we can ask ourselves if we tend to apply these three filters before explaining something. How many times do we spread comments without making sure they are true? How many times these comments that we spread, in addition to not being true, are also not good and very often they are malicious? How many times do we say and make comments that, while not being true or good, are completely pointless, useless, and don’t help improve things or relationships, quite the opposite?
Criticism is often based on assumptions and not truths. However, a criticism based on a truth would have to pass the other two filters, be good and useful, and it certainly wouldn’t.
Jaume Balmes and the truth
Jaume Balmes, Catalan thinker of the 19th century, said: “To think well is to know the truth, or to lead the understanding along the path that leads to it. Truth is the reality of things. When we know what they are like, this knowledge brings us closer to the truth. On the contrary, we fall into error”.
