Masterclass Summer 2023
with Jason Baehr (Loyola Marymount University, California)
Intellectual virtues are the deep personal qualities or character strengths required for good thinking and learning. This Masterclass with Jason Baehr will examine the nature and structure of intellectual virtues and vices.
In the first half of the Masterclass, we’ll examine several theories of what makes something an intellectual virtue or a vice. In the second half , we’ll apply the theories we’ve been studying by asking what makes somebody a good thinker or learner. These answers come to mind. First, they have a lot of knowledge. Second, good thinkers and learners have a lot of cognitive abilities, meaning that good thinkers also tend to be intelligent or to have a reasonably high IQ. But a person can be very knowledgeable and intellectually “gifted” while also being intellectually hasty, lazy, dishonest, arrogant, servile, distracted, superficial, careless, or closed-minded. These qualities (intellectual vices) prevent a person from thinking or learning well. They are cultivated dispositions to act, think, and feel in particular ways. These considerations underscore that good thinking and learning have a character-based dimension. They require the practice of qualities like intellectual carefulness, perseverance, honesty, humility, attentiveness, thoroughness, curiosity, open-mindedness, intellectual courage, and intellectual tenacity (intellectual virtues). Intellectual virtues differ from natural cognitive abilities like raw intelligence or IQ. With proper steps and a suitable environment, anyone can grow in intellectual virtues. Accordingly, our guiding questions throughout the course will be: How can intellectual virtues be taught?
During the Masterclass, we will discuss these questions with Jason Baehr (Loyola Marymount University, California) in person.
Click here for Jason Baehr's profile
Click here for Poster Masterclass 2023 - Baehr
31.05., Masterclass - Part I
01.06., Masterclass - Part II
02.06., Masterclass - Part III
Registration (free of charge): kinga.golus@uni-bielefeld.de