Paideia (/paɪˈdeɪə/; also spelledpaedeia;Greek:παιδεία)[1] referred to the rearing and education of the ideal member of the ancient Greekpolis orstate. These educational ideals later spread to theGreco-Roman world at large, and were calledhumanitas in Latin.
Paideia was meant to instill aristocratic virtues in the young citizen men who were trained in this way. An ideal man within the polis would be well-rounded, refined in intellect, morals, and physicality, so training of the body, mind, and soul was important. Both practical, subject-based schooling as well as a focus upon the socialization of individuals within thearistocratic order of the polis were a part of this training.
The practical aspects of paideia included subjects within the modern designation of theliberal arts (e.g.rhetoric,grammar,mathematics, andphilosophy), as well as scientific disciplines likemedicine.Gymnastics andwrestling were valued for their effect on the body alongside the moral education which was imparted by the study ofmusic,poetry, andphilosophy.
This approach to the rearing of a well-rounded Greek male was common to the Greek-speaking world, with the exception ofSparta, whereagoge was practiced.
The Greeks considered paideia to be carried out by the aristocratic class, who tended to intellectualize their culture and their ideas. The culture and the youth were formed to the ideal ofkalos kagathos ("beautiful and good").
Aristotle gives his paideia proposal in Book VIII of thePolitics. In this, he says that, "education ought to be adapted to the particular form of constitution, since the particular character belonging to each constitution both guards the constitution generally and originally establishes it..."[2] As a result, Aristotle argues that education should be a public system, not left up to individuals. He goes on to deliberate about what a proper education should entail, weighing different subjects, such as music and drawing, against their benefit towards cultivating virtue. He lists the ways he believes that gymnastic training should be carried out, bringing up some Spartan practices in order to see the benefits and drawbacks of their system. He talks extensively about music and its place in education, ultimately concluding that it should be included, but that there should be specific instruction, "in what times and what rhythms they should take part, and also what kinds of instruments should be used in their studies, as this naturally makes a difference."[3]
The German-American classicistWerner Jaeger used the concept of paideia to trace the development of Greek thought and education fromHomer toDemosthenes inPaideia: The Ideals of Greek Culture,[4]Aristotelian philosopherMortimer Adler gives apaideia proposal in his criticism of contemporary Westerneducational systems.
Isocrates' paideia was quite influential, particularly inAthens. Its goal was to construct a practice of education and politics that brought validity in the democratic deliberative practice while remaining intellectually respectable.[5] Isocrates sought to encourage a love of wisdom in his audience by making them apply principles of intellectual consistency to their lives.[6] The fundamental aspect of his paideia was consistency on the individual, civic, andpanhellenic levels.[5]
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