Intellectual Humility: An Introduction to the Philosophy and Science

Why care about intellectual humility? What is an intellectual virtue? How do we know who is intellectually humble? The nature of intellectual virtues is a topic of ancient interest. But contemporary philosophy has experienced unparalleled energy and concern for one particular virtue over the past 30 years: intellectual humility. Intellectual Humility: An Introduction to the Philosophy and Science draws on leading research to provide an engaging and up-to-date guide to understanding what it is and why it’s important.

By using ten big questions to introduce the concept, this introduction presents a vibrant account of the ideas behind intellectual humility. Covering themes from philosophy, psychology, education, social science, and divinity, it addresses issues such as:

What human cognition tells us about intellectual virtues

The extent to which traits and dispositions are stable from birth or learned habits

How emotions affect our ability to be intellectually humble
The best way to handle disagreement

The impact intellectual humility has on religion or theological commitments

Written for students taking the University of Edinburgh’s online course, this textbook is for anyone interested in finding out more about intellectual humility, how it can be developed and where it can be applied.