Is intellectual character growth a realistic educational aim?. Issue 2 (2nd April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Baehr, Jason
• Is Part Of: Journal of moral education. Volume 45:Issue 2(2016)
• Page Start: 117
• Page End: 131
• Publication Date: 2016-04-02
• Subjects: Intellectual virtues -- education -- educating for intellectual virtues -- situationism -- virtue epistemology -- educational aims; Moral education -- Periodicals; 370.114
• DOI: 10.1080/03057240.2016.1174676
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0305-7240

Abstract

Abstract: Responsibilist approaches to virtue epistemology examine the epistemic significance of intellectual virtues like curiosity, attentiveness, intellectual humility, open-mindedness, intellectual courage, and intellectual tenacity. On one way of thinking about these traits, they are the deep personal qualities or character traits of a good thinker or learner. Given the intimate connection between intellectual virtues and good thinking and learning, responsibilist virtue epistemology appears ripe for application to educational theory and practice. At a minimum, growth in intellectual virtues seems like a worthy educational aim. But is such an aim realistic? There are at least three objections to thinking that it is. In this paper, I defend the enterprise of educating for growth in intellectual virtues against each of these objections. I conclude that if pursued in the right way, intellectual character growth is a worthy and realistic educational aim—one that justifies rethinking some fundamental educational priorities and practices.