Throughout history, people have always placed an emphasis on education but mainly for knowledge only. In “Liberal Studies and Education,” Seneca challenges the traditional thinking in education and shows that the ultimate goal of education is acquiring virtue. According to Seneca, the path to virtue is through the teaching of purity and the effects of virtue are illustrated through kindliness, bravery, and temperance. There are many causes of virtue, but the most important is the teaching of purity and the incorporation of the teaching into one’s own life.
In today’s society, there is so much knowledge in mathematics, science, and the history of the world, yet Seneca explains that it is pointless without the teaching of purity. “Teach me rather what purity is, and how great a good we have in it, and whether it is situated in the body or in the soul” (Seneca 2). Seneca believes that when purity is taught in education, especially liberal studies, it will guide one’s life better than anything else. However, teaching purity can only take one so far.
As Seneca says, “Liberal arts do not conduct the soul all the way to virtue, but merely sets it going in that direction. Therefore, the teaching of purity prepares one’s heart for virtue but when one purposely pursues purity, that is when they may obtain virtue. The effects of virtue are also significant. One important effect of virtue is illustrated through kindliness. Jesus was a great example of kindliness. He would hang out with the lowly and sick when nobody else would even if people criticized Him for it.
Kindliness is normally the first effect of virtue developed because it has been engrained in our minds since our first years, yet it still can be a struggle to become kind. Kindliness forbids you to be over-bearing towards your associates, and it forbids you to be grasping” (Seneca 4). Seneca is saying that kindliness is putting someone else’s interest in front of one’s own interest. Even though kindliness is a simple concept, it is often hard for people because selfishness is an epidemic in the world today. “In words and in deeds and in feelings it [Kindliness] shows itself gentle and courteous to all men. ” Kindliness isn’t just being kind in actions or words, but also being calm and genuine in one’s thoughts.
Even during difficult and enraging situations; kindliness overcomes. Another effect of virtue is temperance. Jesus was always self-controlled in situations when most people wouldn’t be. For example, when Jesus often debated with the Pharisees, most people today would get impatient and irritable. “Temperance ‘Temperance controls our desires: some it hates and routs. others it regulates and restores to a healthy measure, nor does it ever approach our desires for their own sake” (Seneca 4).
Temperance is controlling one’s own body and emotion even during passionate or enraging times. Many fathers have a hard time with this one, because it requires a large amount of patience and self control. Often my father would get angry and would take his anger out on me with force and strong words. My grandpa however, is one of the most well-tempered men I have ever met, and it’s not surprising that he is also one of the wisest and most virtuous men I know.
“Temperance knows that the best measure of the appetites is not what you want to take but what you ought to take. Temperance is never the easy route and sometimes even seems mundane, but it is the best route. Perhaps the most important effect of virtue is bravery. Every day Christians are being martyred because they are being brave and continuing to live out their faith in countries that prohibit it. Often times they are even tortured nearly to death knowing they could be let free if they denounce Christ, yet they stare death in the face and stand up for what they know is right.
That is bravery at its finest. Bravery is a scorner of all things which inspire fear; it looks down upon, challenges, and crushes the powers of terror and all that would drive our freedom under the yoke” (Seneca 4). It takes bravery to do what is right, even in the face of imminent danger. Jesus gives the best representation of bravery when He allowed Himself to be tortured, then crucified. He was scared when he was praying to God in the garden of Gethsemane, so much so He was sweating blood, yet He was brave and took the most painful death, when He could have easily called a legion of angels to come and save Him.
Most people run in the face of adversity and fear, yet bravery stand strong for what is right, that is what makes it virtuous. Therefore, according to Seneca, the path to virtue is through the teaching and acceptance of purity. Some main effects of virtue are kindliness, temperance, and bravery. Many people may exhibit one of these effects occasionally, but virtue is a day to day lifestyle that sadly many people do not live by. We must do more to educate people about purity, so that virtue may become more abundant in our society.
