"Just imagine what human civilization would be like if curiosity had never made an appearance—if people only sought the knowledge or understanding necessary for survival. There would no science, no technology, no art. There would be no real culture." Jason Baehr, Professor of Philosophy at Loyola
"An intellectual virtues education takes seriously our students’ desires to learn. Why do they want to learn? Why don’t they want to learn? How can we help them see the goodness of learning? What are their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to learning (e.g.,
The idea that intellectual virtues like curiosity, intellectual humility, and open-mindedness are important to learning is clear enough. But are they also important to having a successful career? There is mounting evidence to think they are. It's well known that employers today are looking for candidates with
"From a cognitive standpoint, early adolescence brings new opportunities for asking thoughtful questions, engaging in complex reasoning, and cultivating the other skills and qualities necessary for critical thinking. Regrettably, these opportunities can go unrealized on account of strong social and psychological forces that work against
"Those with intellectual humility are more willing to consider views that don’t align with their own, and higher levels of intellectual humility may improve academic performance in positive, sustainable ways. We also may be able to foster intellectual humility by helping people understand that intelligence
"The problem with conspiracy theorists is not, as the US legal scholar Cass Sunstein argues, that they have little relevant information. The key to what they end up believing is how they interpret and respond to the vast quantities of relevant information at their disposal. I want to suggest
National Public Radio's Morning Edition and All Things Considered recently aired a story on "grit" and education that featured site administrator and Loyola Marymount Professor Jason Baehr and the work that he and others are doing to implement an intellectual virtues educational framework at the Intellectual Virtues Academy of Long
"On honest reflection, it is hard not to believe that many of the issues debated in a public context are far more complicated than the prevailing positions or arguments let on. Humility can play a role in chipping away at this rhetoric. While this may
"Good schools do not just impart knowledge. They also foster good habits of mind. And yet, as the philosopher John Dewey pointed out, little theoretical or practical work has been done on just what is required to cultivate qualities like curiosity and humble open-mindedness, intellectual
In today’s edition of the Chronicle of Higher Education, the lead story is on efforts being made by colleges and universities to gauge the “non-cognitive skills” of applicants. “Non-cognitive skills” is another term for intellectual virtues. They include traits like curiosity, intellectual perseverance, and grit.