Socrates Triple Filter

Next time someone starts to spread gossip, think of this:

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 Triple Filter Test”

“Triple filter?”

“That’s right,” Socrates continued. “Before you talk to me about my student let’s take a moment to 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, even though you’re not certain it’s true?” The man shrugged, a little embarrassed. Socrates continued. “You may still pass the test though,because there is a third filter – 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.

This is the reason Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.

10 things I’ll do to improve Planet’s Health

1. Save energy i.e. avoid wastage of water and electricity, energy efficient light bulbs
2. Keep my desires in check
3. Give up use of leather and other animal based products
4. Grow trees
5. Protest against animal, land and environment exploitation
6. Do a business to clean up & preserve environment
7. Use renewable Energy at home and elsewhere
8. Travel less
9. Spread awareness (Website, Flyers, Brochures, email, Internet Marketing)
10. Promote renewable energy sources

My personal mission statement

1. Succeed at home first
2. Seek and merit divine help
3. Never compromise with honesty
4. Remember the people involved
5. Hear both sides before judging
6. Obtain counsel of others
7. Defend those who are absent
8. Be sincere yet decisive
9. Develop one new proficiency a year
10. Plan tomorrow’s work today
11. Hustle while you wait
12. Maintain a positive attitude
13. Keep a sense of humor
14. Be orderly in person and in work
15. Do not fear mistake – fear only the absence of creative, constructive, and corrective responses to those mistakes
16. Facilitate the success of subordinates
17. Listen twice as much as you speak
18. Concentrate all abilities and efforts on the task at hand, not worrying about the next job or promotion
19. Fulfill commitments
20. Aim for clarity

Stem cells

I was reading this article about using stem cells for treating disorders and that there would be voting in the parliament in US, to go ahead with it or ban it.

As I understand, stems cells can be obtained from an embryo or a foetus (dead or alive) to use. But if taken from an embryo, the embryo dies. Please let me know if I am wrong. So the debate is that is it ethical to do this.

It’s not an easy question to answer for sure. We kill a life to save a life. I follow Jainisim, and in our religion this is explained as Raag (attachment) and Dwesha(aversion).When I was 15, we had a dog named Julie, an Alsasian Shepherd. Sometimes she used to get ticks on her body. Ticks are little creatures that suck blood. and because I loved my dog, I hated those ticks sucking on my dogs blood. so I used to kill them. I did not feel good doing that either, and that’s when my Aunt & Mom explained me this concept of raag and dwesh, and indulging in that causes Karmic bondage. Karmic bondage comes from the Law of Karma which in simple terms means every action has a consequence and you bear the consequences of all your actions.

But till this date, I wonder about it. Because when I reflect on my day to day activity like work, eating, gardening, socializing, etc. Raag and dwesh situations arise and it gets confusing what choice to make. Because either choice have their pros and cons. Deep down though, i feel that there’s truth in this law of raag and dwesh and that there is a state beyond all this which I curious to know.

So back to debate of Stem cells, I think we should not go down this path of using embryos or foetuses for stem cells. If we allow it, it might have other implications like directly or indirectly in the field of cloning, abortions, religious fights, etc. So it’s very much like a path to doom, that may just get worse and worse. But if we say no to this, then we’ll focus our energies on looking alternative options and surely come up with a solution. I read that stem cells could aslo be obtained from adults. If scientists can do that, our problem would be solved