The parable of Socrates "Three sieves": what is the point?

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The parable of Socrates "Three sieves": what is the point?
The parable of Socrates "Three sieves": what is the point?

Video: The parable of Socrates "Three sieves": what is the point?

Video: The parable of Socrates
Video: A Short But Incredibly Wise Parable of Socrates | Parable "Three Sieve" 2024, November
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The parable of Socrates "Three sieves", as a rule, is unknown to the general public. As well as information about him. His teaching marks a sharp turn in philosophical thought. From the consideration of the world and nature, he moved on to the consideration of man. Thus, we are talking about the discovery of a new channel in ancient philosophy. About the parable of Socrates "Three sieves" and his method will be described in the article.

Method of dialectical disputes

Socrates and Aspasia
Socrates and Aspasia

Before we begin to consider the parable of Socrates "Three sieves", let's pay attention to his famous method. This philosopher from ancient Greece, who lived in the 5th-4th centuries. BC e. in Athens, applied the method of analyzing concepts (maieutics and dialectics), and also identified the positive qualities inherent in man and his knowledge. Thus, he switched the attention of representatives of philosophical thought to the great importance of a person's personality.

The irony of Socrates lies in a hidden mockery of the self-confidence of people who think they are "knowingly". When addressing a question to his interlocutor, he pretended to be a simpleton andasked a question regarding a topic in which he was knowledgeable.

The questions of the philosopher were thought out in advance, they gradually led the interlocutor to a dead end. As a result, he became confused in his judgments. By this, Socrates deprived his counterpart of arrogance, found contradictions and inconsistencies in his judgments. When this part of the dialogue was completed, a joint search for true knowledge began.

Next, let's go directly to the presentation of the parable of Socrates "Three sieves".

Contents

Great thinker
Great thinker

While talking with Socrates, one person asked him a question:

– Do you know what one of your friends told me about you?

–Wait, – the thinker stopped him, – first you need to sift through three sieves what you want to tell me.

– What is this?

– Remember that always, before you say anything, you need to sift it three times, through three sieves. Let's start with the first one. It is the sieve of truth. Please tell me, are you sure that what you want to convey to me is the pure truth?

– No, I'm not sure, I was just told so.

– So you are not responsible for the fact that your information is true. Then let's move on to the next step. This is the sieve of kindness. Think and answer, do you have a desire to say something nice about my friend?

– Of course not, quite the opposite, I want to give some bad news.

– Therefore, – continued Socrates, – you want to speak badly about a person, being not sure that it is true. Then let's turn tothe third step is the sieve of benefit. Do you think it is necessary for me to hear what you want to tell me?

– I don't think it's really necessary.

- As a result, it turns out, - the great thinker came to the conclusion, - that in what you planned to convey to me, there are no truth, and kindness, and benefit. So why talk about it?

Moral

Socrates takes poison
Socrates takes poison

Through this parable, attributed to Socrates, the following thought is expressed. If a person has become aware of some negative information that is not significant, but can somehow harm the interlocutor, you should not rush to transfer it. We need to think carefully about whether to take this step.

Upon closer examination of the parable, one can find an analogy with one of the biblical commandments, which says: "Do not judge, and you will not be judged." Commenting on it, the holy fathers advise to talk less about people and their deeds that are not directly related to a person. After all, when reasoning, it is easy to fall into condemnation, often unjustified.

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