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Full Idea
I call 'education' the initial acquisition of virtue by the child, when the feelings of pleasure and affection, pain and hatred, are channelled in the right courses before he can understand the reason why.
Gist of Idea
Education is channelling a child's feelings into the right course before it understands why
Source
Plato (The Laws [c.348 BCE], 653b)
Book Ref
Plato: 'Complete Works', ed/tr. Cooper,John M. [Hackett 1997], p.1344
A Reaction
A precursor of Aristotle's view (Ethics 1104b11). A profound, simple and important insight.