Excerpt from The three Sieves of Socrates

CHAPTER 7

The three Sieves of Socrates

To conclude the discussion on the beliefs of different religions, Mr. Toussaint, who claimed to be a humanistic, with an open mind, made reference to   Socrates, the first great philosopher of dialogue and  founder of ethics, He asked them:

- Do you know the test of three sieves of Socrates?

Nobody seemed to know what Mr. Toussaint had in mind. So he explained:

- Socrates had a high opinion of wisdom. Someone one day asked the great philosopher:
Do you know what I just heard about your friend?

- Before you tell, responded Socrates, I would like you to go through a simple test, the test of three sieves.

- The three sieves?,

- Yes, said Socrates. Before you tell me all sorts of things on others, it is good to take time to filter what you would say. I call this the test of three sieves. At the time of the prophet Zarathustra, the Persians called this test, the three gates of truth one of  that provide access to the temple of the true word and wisdom.

OK. What do you wish to know?

- The first sieve is the sieve of  truth. Have you checked if what you want to tell me is true?

- No. I only heard …

- Very good. We may infer the that you do not you know if what you were about to report or tell me is the truth. Let's now try to filter using the second sieve, that of goodness.  The question  I'll ask you here is this:

- What you want to teach me about my friend, is it any good?

- Oh no! On the contrary...

- So, continued Socrates, you wish to tell me bad things about my friend and you're not even sure they are true. You can perhaps pass the test of last sieve, that of utility. Let me ask you now: Is it useful for you to teach me what my friend  you say have done?

- No. Not really.

- So, Socrates concluded, if what you want  to tell me is neither true nor good nor useful, why try to tell me?

- You're right Socrates, I don't think it is of any use,

        -  Socrates' test, continued Mr. Toussaint, is an effective tool for avoiding making errors of judgements.  It is of great use to you when you  evaluate the truth of judgments or beliefs  proposed to you. It will help you make the right choices.

…..

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CHAPTER 8

The secret of VITRIOL

- Do you remember my dream of the epigram in the shape of the star or shield  of David ? asked Phil to Mathieu.

- Vaguely, can you remind me, please?

- The epigram contained four types of judgments inscribed on the wall of the cave, the judgments of prescription, reality,  value and preference:

       Beware of  errors in judgment!
       Perception is not always reality!
       We cannot persevere without courage!
       It is better to act wisely than by selfish desire!

        Plato, the guardian angel.

- Now I remember your strange dream.

- In addition to this epigram, Phil said,  there was a word of six letters  spelling VITRIOL. It was the same word that was written on a red stone resembling the philosopher's stone M. Toussaint gave us before our pilgrimage to Saint-Anne de Beaupré, north of Québec city. 

-What is the meaning of  VITRIOL? 

-The translation of VITRIOL was revealed  to me an angel that hovered over me displaying  a golden ribbon.

-Was there anything written on the ribbon?

- You guessed right . There was a sentenced  which contained the statement: "You are lead but through the study you will become gold"?

- Was this the translation of  the acrostic VITRIOL?

• Yes, 

-Can you describe how this happened?

- As was explained to us by our teacher  M. Toussaint  to understand the meaning of an acrostic you have to read the letters in the vertical direction, each word revealing the  first letter of a keyword in the citation. VITRIOL stands for:

VISITA
INTERIOREM
TERRAE
RECTIFICANDO
INVENIES
OPERAE
LAPIDEM

- Very strange!  Di you get the complete translation of this curious latin formula contained in the gold ribbon held by an angel?

The complete  writing on the ribbon read as follows:
"Go down into the bowels of the earth by distilling.
You will find the stone of the work.
You are lead, and by the study you will become gold. "

What does LEAD symbolize? Mathieu asked.

...