260033 Virtues and Vices of the Mind (GradS) (SoSe 2023)

Intellectual virtues are the deep personal qualities or character strengths required for good thinking and learning. This preparation course and the Masterclass with Jason Baehr will examine the nature and structure of intellectual virtues and vices.

In the first half of the course, we’ll examine several theories of what makes something an intellectual virtue or a vice. In the second half of the course, 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.

Schedule:
14.04., 12-14h
21.04., 12-14h
28.04., 12-14h
05.05., 12-14h
12.05., 12-14h
19.05., 12-14h
26.05., 12-14h
31.05., Masterclass - Part I
01.06., Masterclass - Part II
02.06., Masterclass - Part III
09.06., 12-14h