Week 8: Monday, February 27th

Intellectual Autonomy, Humility, and Self-Confidence, each in their own way are crucial in our becoming intellectually virtuous. But why? What does it really mean to be ‘autonomous’, ‘humble’ or ‘self-confident’? In today’s readings we’ll get clearer on what these mean from the framework of Virtue Epistemology. By doing this, you will:

1. Be able to explain why thinking for yourself is an epistemically good thing, and what that would mean.

2. Be able to describe how intellectual humility and self-confidence can each exist in the same person, and why anyone should want to be humble and self-confident.

3. Give examples of what intellectually autonomy, humility, and self-confidence look like in everyday life.

READ THIS:

Philosophical Text: Nathan King, The Excellent Mind, ch. 5 (Autonomy: Think For Yourself) [access ch. 5 through Moodle], ch. 6 (Humility and Self-Confidence: Own Your Weaknesses and Your Strengths) [access ch. 6 through Moodle].

Application Text: Alan Ryan, “Don’t Think For Yourself Unless You Can,” (NY Times)

WATCH THIS:

DO THIS:

Consider the following questions, write your responses in your journal, and talk about them with a friend:

1. What would it be like to be intellectually autonomous? What does intellectual autonomy look like according to the framework of Virtue Epistemology?

2. Why should anyone care whether you are intellectually autonomous, humble, and self-confident? Why would it matter?

3. Give an example of someone in your own life who is either intellectually autonomous, humble, or self-confident.