[DMW]

“Contempt prior to examination is an intellec- tual vice, from which the greatest faculties of mind are not free." William Paley

There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all ar- guments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlast- ing ignorance—that principle is contempt prior to investiga- tion. —Herbert Spencer

In ancient Greece, scholar and intellectual, Socrates , was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just heard from one of your friends?"

"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's why I called it the triple filter test."

The first filter is Truth.
"Have you made absolutely sure that what you're about to tell me is true?"
"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and wanted to tell it to you."
"Alright," 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 going to tell me about my friend something good?"
"No, on the contrary , it is bad."
"So," Socrates replied, " you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain if it's true."

"You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left, the filter of Usefulness." " Is what you are going to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"
"No, not really." replied the man.
"Well," concluded Socrates , " if what you are going to tell me is neither true, nor good, and nor even useful to me, why telling me at all."