The Art of Manliness

Can Virtue Be Taught?

Oct 3, 2022

Massimo Pigliucci, a philosophy professor and author of "The Quest for Character," delves into the ancient views on virtue. He discusses how the Greeks and Romans believed that virtue could be taught, highlighting cases like Socrates with Alcibiades and Aristotle mentoring Alexander the Great. The complexities of ethical education and mentorship illustrate the trials of instilling virtue in leaders. Pigliucci also connects these age-old insights to modern psychology, revealing practical ways to cultivate better character through relationships and self-reflection.

42:20

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Massimo Pigliucci

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Quick takeaways

The ancient Greeks and Romans believed in the importance of good character for personal excellence and a well-functioning society, emphasizing the virtues of practical wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance.

The question of whether virtue can be taught was explored by the Greco-Roman philosophers, with Socrates emphasizing the individual's openness to learning and Aristotle suggesting that virtue can be taught through theory and practice.

Deep dives

The Importance of Virtue in Greco-Roman Philosophy

The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that good character was essential for personal excellence and a well-functioning society. They focused on defining virtue, which meant excellence in all aspects of life, and identified four fundamental virtues: practical wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance. The Greco-Romans emphasized the importance of living with social excellence and following these virtues to have a good life.

Intro

2min

Exploring Moral Philosophy and Virtue

19min

The Influence of Mentorship on Leadership: Aristotle and Alexander

3min

Seneca, Nero, and the Challenge of Virtue

10min

Bridging Ancient Wisdom and Modern Psychology: Cultivating Virtue

5min

The Role of Relationships in Character Development

3min

The ancient Greeks and Romans thought a lot about what it means to live a virtuous life. They believed that good character was essential for achieving both individual excellence and a healthy, well-functioning society. For this reason, they also thought a lot about whether virtue could be taught to citizens, and philosophers put this thinking into practice by attempting to educate the moral ideals of leaders.

My guest, professor of philosophy Massimo Pigliucci, explores what the Greco-Romans discovered about the nature and teachability of virtue in his new book: The Quest for Character. Today on the show, Massimo and I discuss how the ancient Greeks and Romans defined virtue, and what it meant to them to live with arete, or excellence. We then look at case studies of philosophers who tried to shape men into being better leaders, including Socrates teaching Alcibiades, Aristotle tutoring Alexander the Great, and Seneca mentoring Nero. Massimo explains how these field experiments turned out, and the takeaways they offer on the question of whether virtue can be taught. We end our conversation with the ancient insights that have been confirmed by modern research that can help us become better people.