Politics

The eighth and final Book is shorter and devoted to a city’s approach to education, particularly after students reach the age of seven. For the philosopher, education represents the future and stability of a constitution. The type of education must align with the form of the constitution. Different virtues inform several types of character, and those types of character are reflected in the different forms of government. Education appeals to two of the three elements described in Book 7: habit and reason. Educational systems should create the opportunity for students to develop habits of character that promote the purpose and function of the governmental body. Aristotle’s description here serves as a basis for civic education which promotes the idea that education should help advance the roles of students as future citizens. Schooling cannot be left up to families or private institutions because cities must ensure that the characteristics endowed to students contribute to the permanence of the constitution.

Aristotle argues that individuals cannot and do not belong solely to themselves. They are a part of a larger body, the city, which shares the same singular aim as the individual. Subjects to be studied should reflect that aim. Aristotle argues that preference should be given to subjects which develop and uphold virtue, an idea that contributes to the theme Politics as a Pathway for Good and Happiness. Aristotle believes that all aspects of public life should emulate private purpose. He identifies four main subjects which contribute to ultimate virtue: “reading and writing; drawing; gymnastics; and music” (300). Reading and writing are practical pursuits, while physical training promotes the virtue of courage. The philosopher remarks that physical training is too often associated with leisure time or pleasure and that it should be studied with discipline as a crucial element of a virtuous life. Music and other art forms, such as drawing, are not practical and are only useful during leisure time. However, some subjects are worth exploring for their intrinsic value and how they contribute to high-mindedness. Music should be selected for its ability to promote character and action, to inspire, and to stimulate the mind. Music contributes to emotional health, which is an underappreciated contributor to happiness and virtue.

Physical training requires a degree of moderation. Over-athleticism emphasizes courage above all other virtues. Aristotle points to Sparta as an example of those who promote courage and do not devote enough attention to the wider spectrum of virtues. Aristotle’s advocacy for moderation is a critical component of the theme mentioned above. In Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle describes virtues as the mean between two vices. Education, too, follows an order of constraint. The philosopher claims that exercise should be light and pleasurable till the age of puberty. Too much of either physical or mental work can inhibit the other.

Aristotle argues that children should learn how to play instruments to advance their own appreciation and criticism of other performers. Music should be selected upon its ability to enrich the promoted characteristics. If a song has an emotional impact upon its audience, then it will appeal widely and provide healing for many.

After following the philosopher’s journey through various government forms and how a city should best be structured to support the common good, ending a political treatise with reflections on music education may appear as a digression. However, Aristotle’s discussion of music education serves as a comprehensive metaphor for politics as a humanist discipline and contributes to the theme The Political Nature of Man. For the philosopher, music connects the individual with his own nature and soul. Although many argue that the subject lacks seriousness or practicality, Aristotle suggests that music is important on multiple levels and solidifies a connection between an individual man and the wider political body.