Affair Quote by Aristotle
“That education should be regulated by law and should be an affair of state is not to be denied, but what should be the character of this public education, and how young persons should be educated, are questions which remain to be considered. As things are, there is disagreement about the subjects. For mankind are by no means agreed about the things to be taught, whether we look to virtue or the best life. Neither is it clear whether education is more concerned with intellectual or with moral virtue.”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Politics, Book VIII, 4th century BC
Public education should be guided by law, yet its purpose—intellectual vs. moral development—remains debated.
In simple terms: Education’s goal and character are still uncertain.
Key Takeaway
Define education’s true purpose.
Themes
philosophy
education
law
morality
public policy
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- school reform
- teacher training
- community dialogue
Key Concepts
civic virtue
curriculum design
state responsibility
Questions to Reflect On
- What should schools prioritize?
- How can law shape educational values?
A Different Perspective
Balancing intellectual and moral aims is complex.
![“[the virtues] cannot exist without Prudence. A proof of this is that everyone, even at the present day, in defining Virtue, after saying what disposition it is [i.e. moral virtue] and specifying the things with which it is concerned, adds that it is a disposition determined by the right principle…” quote by Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/134/aristotle-78_add_the-virtues-cannot-exist-without-prudenc_3029435.jpg)
![“Rightness in our choice of an end is secured by [Moral] Virtue.” quote by Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/498/aristotle-78_character_rightness-in-our-choice-of-an-end-is-sec_2740950.jpg)
![“If then, as we say, good craftsmen look to the mean as they work, and if virtue, like nature, is more accurate and better than any form of art, it will follow that virtue has the quality of hitting the mean. I refer to moral virtue [not intellectual], for this is concerned with emotions and…” quote by Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/796/aristotle-78_accurate_if-then-as-we-say-good-craftsmen-look-to_695282.jpg)
