31. “But,” one says, “since you declare that virtue cannot be attained without the ’liberal studies,’ how is it that you deny that they offer any assistance to virtue?” Because you cannot attain virtue without food, either; and yet food has nothing to do with virtue.
Wood does not offer assistance to a ship, although a ship cannot be built except of wood.
There is no reason, I say, why you should think that anything is made by the assistance of that without which it cannot be made.
Book: Moral Letters Vol II
Subtitle: Seneca's timeless letters of advice and wisdom.
Author: Seneca
Chapter: On liberal and vocational studies
Location: Chapter 88, Section 31
Content:
31. “But,” one says, “since you declare that virtue cannot be attained without the ’liberal studies,’ how is it that you deny that they offer any assistance to virtue?” Because you cannot attain virtue without food, either; and yet food has nothing to do with virtue.
Wood does not offer assistance to a ship, although a ship cannot be built except of wood.
There is no reason, I say, why you should think that anything is made by the assistance of that without which it cannot be made.