In modern education, success is often measured by linear metrics: test scores, GPAs, and other quantitative data points. These measurements, while important, miss a more profound aspect of education—moral and character formation. True education should cultivate not only the intellect but also the will, equipping students to consistently choose the good in every situation.
At the heart of this habitual good lies moral virtue. More than a theoretical concept, moral virtue is a practical framework for living rightly. It represents the habitual actions that shape one’s character and life trajectory. Incorporating moral virtue into education ensures a more holistic approach to student development—one that fosters wisdom, ethical decision-making, and lifelong fulfillment.
In Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle distinguishes between two types of virtue: intellectual virtue and moral virtue. Both are essential for human flourishing, but their formation and purpose differ significantly.
While intellectual virtue is formed through instruction, moral virtue is not achieved in the same direct manner. In Plato’s Meno, Socrates questions whether virtue can be taught, which suggests that while intellectual virtues may be transmitted through education and deliberate practice, moral virtues require a different approach.
Intellectual virtue is cultivated through instruction, reflection, and disciplined reasoning. It encompasses qualities like wisdom, understanding, and scientific knowledge, which are developed through structured learning. Educators play a pivotal role in this process, imparting tools for inquiry and fostering critical thinking, thus equipping students to seek truth and engage in rational discourse.
However, as Vigen Guroian argues in Tending the Heart of Virtue, the development of moral virtue transcends didactic instruction. Moral virtues, such as courage and temperance, take shape through the consistent practice of choosing good actions and through exposure to exemplary models of virtuous living. While intellectual virtue trains the mind, moral virtue shapes the heart, requiring both intentional practice and a nurturing environment that supports moral growth.
Moral virtue cannot be developed didactically or through instruction alone. Moral virtue is a disposition formed through habit and practice, requiring consistent, intentional action over time. Aristotle describes moral virtue as a “mean” between two extremes of excess and deficiency—vices that distort human behavior.
Aristotle’s distinction between moral and intellectual virtues is based on the different learning paths to their development. Intellectual virtue can be built through teaching and instruction, while moral virtues typically arise from habit, mentorship, and the modeling of virtuous behavior. This distinction highlights how education can directly nurture intellectual virtue, but moral virtue may require a more indirect approach.
A teacher can point to the good, but students must repeatedly choose the good for themselves to internalize it. For example, a single courageous act may be virtuous, but true moral virtue arises when courage becomes a habitual part of one’s character, consistently guiding actions across situations.
The ultimate purpose of education extends beyond knowledge acquisition or career preparation. According to Aristotle, the goal of human existence is eudaimonia, often translated as happiness or flourishing. This state is achieved by engaging in rational and virtuous activity throughout a complete and fulfilling life—one that encompasses leisure, meaningful friendships, and active citizenship.
Education plays a crucial role in this pursuit by training the rational powers of the individual and supporting the development of moral character. While formal education, or schooling, is not the primary means by which moral character is formed—that responsibility lies more heavily with lived experience, family, and community—it provides the intellectual framework and tools to facilitate such formation. Through the cultivation of intellectual curiosity and the encouragement of virtuous habits, education becomes a foundation for a life aimed at true happiness.
In The Schooling of a People, Mortimer J. Adler identifies that the purpose of education extends beyond preparing for a career. There are three essential purposes of education: preparation for earning a living, preparation for citizenship and civic engagement, and preparation for a life of cultivated leisure with a focus on intellectual, artistic, and personal pursuits.
To achieve these completely, an education must integrate the development of intellectual and moral virtues. The classical education model aligns seamlessly with the idea of creating and building a moral and just life, and emphasizes the cultivation of the whole person—mind, body, and soul. This formation also allows students to make free and responsible choices.
By nurturing intellectual virtues (like wisdom and understanding) alongside moral virtues (like prudence and justice), education equips students to lead meaningful lives. These virtues are necessary not only for personal happiness but also for contributing to society as thoughtful citizens and ethical professionals.
While a formal education doesn’t necessarily determine how an individual will form their moral character, being inside a classroom offers a unique environment to foster virtues that complement academic and career success. Research shows that the acquisition of “non-cognitive skills” is critical for thriving in life and work. This includes skills such as prudence, perseverance, and emotional intelligence. Students with these character strengths are more likely to graduate high school with a higher GPA, less likely to be arrested as adolescents, and more likely to graduate from college.
Google’s Project Aristotle also suggests that high-performing teams excelled due to soft skills like empathy, equality, and emotional intelligence—qualities rooted in moral and intellectual virtue—rather than technical ability alone.
Incorporating moral virtue into education not only supports academic excellence but also produces leaders who bring integrity, empathy, and sound judgment into their professional and personal lives.
Prioritizing the development of intellectual and moral virtues, education fulfills its highest purpose: preparing individuals to earn a good living, engage responsibly in civic life, and live a fulfilling, noble existence enriched by leisure, creativity, and meaningful relationships.
Classical education supports the development of rational thought and moral character by integrating the cultivation of virtues into its traditional liberal arts framework. Through the disciplines of the trivium (grammar, logic, rhetoric) and the quadrivium (arithmetic, geometry, music, astronomy), students can engage in learning that goes beyond academic interests.
These virtues then become vehicles for cultivating intellectual precision and moral insight, guiding students toward the pursuit of truth, beauty, and goodness. When students develop these virtues they also build the capacity for rational thought and moral awareness which encourages them to choose the good in their lives.
Educators guide this process. Russell Kirk suggests in his essay Can Virtue Be Taught? that teachers can profoundly influence the moral development of students by serving as examples of character. When educators embody virtues such as prudence, temperance, and justice in their own lives, they offer students a living demonstration of how moral virtue informs one’s character and contributes to a flourishing life.
The optimal way to impart wisdom and virtue is through classical education. At the University of Dallas, the Master of Arts in Classical Education equips educators with the knowledge and skills to integrate moral virtue into their teaching. This program prepares educators to nurture students’ intellectual and moral development, forming virtuous leaders who make meaningful contributions to society.
To learn more about this program and all that UDallas can offer you, download our guide: An Educator’s Guide to Joining the Classical Education Movement.
You can also request more information or schedule a meeting with an Admissions Counselor.