"Each of these private teachers who work for pay, whom the politicians call sophists and regard as their rivals, inculcates nothing else than these opinions of the multitude which they opine when they are assembled and calls this knowledge wisdom. It is as if a man were acquiring the knowledge of the humors and desires of a great strong beast which he had in his keeping, how it is to be approached and touched, and when and by what things it is made most savage or gentle, yes, and the several sounds it is wont to utter on the occasion of each, and again what sounds uttered by another make it tame or fierce, and after mastering this knowledge by living with the creature and by lapse of time should call it wisdom, and should construct thereof a system and art and turn to the teaching of it, knowing nothing in reality about which of these opinions and desires is honorable or base, good or evil, just or unjust, but should apply all these terms to the judgments of the great beast, calling the things that pleased it good, and the things that vexed it bad, having no other account to render of them, but should call what is necessary just and honorable, never having observed how great is the real difference between the necessary and the good, and being incapable of explaining it to another. ... Do you suppose that there is any difference between such a one and the man who thinks that it is wisdom to have learned to know the moods and the pleasures of the motley multitude in their assembly, whether about painting or music or, for that matter, politics?"
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Socrates in Plato, The Republic, 493a
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Teachers
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Teachers
111 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Teachers →
Related Quotes
"It turns out that teaching is one of those things like raising a kid or working out—sometimes amazing, often difficul…"
"Instruction does not prevent waste of time or mistakes; and mistakes themselves are often the best teachers of all."
"Raise your head now, you who were formerly a youth. You can turn your hand against any man, so act as is befitting. […"
"My school was a happy place. All of us who started our schooling there completed our studies till the eighth standard…"
"Rarely will you meet anyone so jealous as a teacher. Year after year students tumble along like the waters of a river…"
"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops."
"My advocacy for various things will startle some readers, since people often think professors should stay in their iv…"
"Philosophy teachers are teachers, i.e. intellectuals employed in a given education system and subject to that system,…"
"One thing that I really like about teaching is that you have to work very hard not to lose the respect of your students."
"One-time member of the school, come here to me, and let me explain to you what my teacher revealed. Like you, I was o…"