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Essay / Liberal education according to the views of Seneca
The Seneca text allows the reader to delve into the thoughts and proposals of Lucius Annaeus Seneca around the importance of liberal studies and the distinction between liberal and professional studies . In addition to these topics, the text also gives a brief overview of who Seneca is and how liberal and professional studies can coexist. Seneca believed that only one liberal study deserved the title “and that is the pursuit of wisdom” (Austin 14). Therefore, this essay will analyze liberal education in light of Seneca's views on it. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay To begin, the reader must understand the core values around a liberal education according to Seneca. For example, the text states, “The surveyor teaches me how to calculate the size of my estates rather than how to determine how much a man needs to have enough” (Austin 15). This illustrates that Seneca believes that most studies described as liberal are correctly characterized because they do not have the capacity to increase a person's wisdom. He also states: “The surveyor teaches me how to avoid losing a fraction of my possessions, but what I really want to learn is how to lose everything and still keep a smile (Austin 15). This quote allows the reader to grasp the fundamental ideas around Seneca's beliefs regarding liberal education. From here the reader can understand that true liberal education, according to Seneca, does not consist in knowledge of the world, nor in how to remain oneself when knowledge of the world cannot grasp the values of the soul of 'a man. Then, this text stands out because of its new use in daily life and social constructions around daily life. Once Seneca's values of liberal education are known, the reader can speculate on how they can be applied to daily life. For example, the text says: “you can define a straight line; what good is it, if you have no idea what righteousness means in life” (Austin 15). This quote allows the reader to understand that knowledge of the world cannot be applied to a man's soul and therefore does not strictly benefit man. Many people in today's society seek professional skills to increase their assets, but do not know how to control themselves should those assets lose value. This proves a loss of Seneca's liberal values and shows that a true liberal education that enhances a man's wisdom has been lost. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Finally, how can we bring back these values in respect of professional education. The text states: “not because it can make them morally good, but because it prepares the mind for the acquisition of moral values” (Austin 16). This quote demonstrates the very basis of how vocational education and liberal education can be applied together. All forms of employment based on professional training require a moral basis to work competently. With a liberal education during a child's early years, society can develop a person's ability to grasp moral understandings and then build that moral understanding through job training that will then be used in the job market. Works CitedAustin, Michael “Seneca on Liberal and Professional Studies” Reading the Ideas of the World That 201