Authority, Being Educible, and the Obedience Fallacy.

This article examines the role of authority in human development, arguing that openness to authoritative influence is foundational to our capacity to learn, form reasons, and pursue value, rather than merely a source of problematic obedience and conformity. Drawing on Aristotle's view that individuals have limited capacities for moral understanding and self-governance, it emphasizes the necessity of socio-political frameworks—including laws, institutions, and interpersonal authorities—to support and regulate our inclinations and reasoning throughout life. The article also explores how human anxieties arising from self-consciousness create obstacles to understanding and governance, which authoritative guidance helps to navigate. While acknowledging that authority can mislead, the article contends that appropriate openness to authority is essential for education, moral development, and sustaining agency, highlighting the complex interplay between personal growth and political structures.