Famous philosophers Plagurised

[Anonymous 3]

I was just googling a Socrates quote to print & put in my work area.
Socrates, the great Greek philosopher, was once stopped by an acquaintance as he passed through the markets.

“I’ve something important to tell you,” he said. “It’s about your friend.”

“That’s very kind of you,” Socrates said. “But, don’t tell me just yet. I run all information through the Three Filters Test to ascertain if I want to know it.”

The man looked somewhat puzzled as Socrates continued, “First is the filter of truth. Whatever you want to tell me, have you seen or witnessed it first-hand?”

“Umm…I actually heard it from someone,” the man said, “and, it is from a trusted source.”

“Alright. But that does not pass my first test,” Socrates added, “since you don’t know whether it’s true.”

“Second is the filter of goodness. Is that a good statement you want to make about my friend?”

“Not really. That’s the reason I wanted—”

Socrates interjected, “So, you want to tell me something bad about someone but don’t know if it’s true.”

“The last is the filter of utility.” He continued, “Your statement about my friend, is that gonna be useful to me?”

“Not really as such. I just wanted to share”

“Well, if the information is not necessarily true, it is not good, and, it is of no use,” Socrates concluded, “please, I don’t want to know about it.”

My other favourite is Aristotle
Great minds discuss ideas
Average minds discuss events
Weak minds discuss people.
That one is actually credited to Elanor Roosevelt.

On a side note I have had numerous tuna attempting to pass on gossip while looking directly at the Socrates quote. Should I disrespect the great mind of Aristotle & give Roosevelt credit for the second? Or is it a forlorn hope that the Tuna might get the hint even if it appears to be the once in a millenium words of wisdom of a woman

Does anyone know of any others that have been appropriated as such.

[Anonymous 12]

I was listening to the radio one morning and this Tuna was talking about how she saw Oprah on one of her speaking tours. Anyway, this Tuna said Oprah said some amazing things like “Every action has an opposite and equal reaction”.

Ummm yeah… even the radio announcer had a laugh and pointed out that was actually Newton and Oprah was just quoting.

[OldBillParticipant]

Try applying the first of your Three Filters to Socrates himself.

Socrates left behind no writings. Everything we “know” about him comes from his self-proclaimed students, primarily Plato and Xenophon, and a contemporaneous playwright who mentioned him in a few works. Most telling, those claiming to have been students of Socrates tell different stories about the man and his philosophy.

When you quote Socrates, you’re really quoting what Plato or Aristotle wrote about Socrates.

Do not date. Do not impregnate. Do not co-habitate. Above all, do not marry. Reclaim and never again surrender your personal sovereignty.

[Author]

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