Intellectual Humility: Theory

The University of Edinburgh

About this Course

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Faced with difficult questions people often tend to dismiss and marginalize dissent. Political and moral disagreements can be incredibly polarizing, and sometimes even dangerous. And whether it’s Christian fundamentalism, Islamic extremism, or militant atheism, religious dialogue remains tinted by arrogance, dogma, and ignorance. The world needs more people who are sensitive to reasons both for and against their beliefs, and are willing to consider the possibility that their political, religious and moral beliefs might be mistaken. The world needs more intellectual humility.
But what is intellectual humility, anyway? And why do people seem so drawn toward intellectual arrogance? Psychologists, philosophers, theologians, and educationalists are now suggesting some answers.

In this course we try to define intellectual humility and intellectual virtues in general, and ask how we know who is humble. All lectures are delivered by leading specialists, and the course is organised around a number of interesting readings and practical assignments which will help you address issues related to humility in your daily life.

This course is a part of a series which explores the theory, the science and the applied issues surrounding intellectual humility (the latter two coming in June and November 2017). Completing all three courses will give you a broader understanding of this fascinating topic. Look for: 

• Intellectual Humility: Science - https://www.coursera.org/learn/intellectual-humility-science
• Intellectual Humility: Practice - https://www.coursera.org/learn/intellectual-humility-practice

You can also follow us on twitter: @EdiPhilOnline and #IHMOOC

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Beginner Level

Approx. 18 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: English

Skills you will gain

PhilosophyPsychologySoftware TestingSelf-Help

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 18 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: English

Instructors

Instructor rating

4.63/5 (22 Ratings)

Offered by

The University of Edinburgh

Influencing the world since 1583, The University of Edinburgh is consistently ranked as one of the world's top 50 universities. Today, we are an established and global leader in online learning, providing degree-level education to 3,000 online students in addition to 36,000 students on-campus. We also offer a wide range of free online courses in a variety of subjects. To find out more about studying for one of our online degrees, search for ‘Edinburgh online’ or visit www.ed.ac.uk/studying/online-learning/postgraduate

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating97%(2,927 ratings)

Week

Week 1

2 hours to complete

Getting started

2 hours to complete

4 readings

4 readings

About This Course10m

Optional Reading10m

How to Use Discussion Forums10m

Get to Know Your Classmates1h

5 hours to complete

What is intellectual humility?

by Dr Ian Church and Dr Peter Samuelson

5 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 68 min), 4 readings, 5 quizzes

10 videos

Introduction to Module 156s

Introduction2m

Other accounts of intellectual humility13m

The doxastic account12m

Introduction - the wisdom of the folk5m

How do we become humble?9m

Humility and cognition6m

Are some people born humble?7m

Humility and emotions5m

How do we know who is humble?3m

4 readings

Before you begin...10m

Week 2

4 hours to complete

What is an intellectual virtue?

by Professor John Greco

4 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 51 min), 5 readings, 4 quizzes

8 videos

Introduction to Module 236s

What is virtue epistemology?8m

The advantages of virtue epistemology8m

Two kinds of intellectual virtue8m

How are character and faculty virtues related?5m

Intellectual humility as a virtue7m

Virtuous communities3m

Two misconceptions (note: this is an extension following the part of the lecture entitled: 'Two kinds of intellectual virtue')8m

5 readings

Find and share examples of virtue!10m

Week 3

4 hours to complete

How do we know who is intellectually humble?

by Professor Peter C. Hill

4 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 63 min), 4 readings, 4 quizzes

7 videos

Introduction to Module 343s

Introduction: a brief overview of humility7m

Conceptualising intellectual humility8m

Measuring general humility9m

Measuring intellectual humility9m

Measuring general humility - extended version discussing additional measures10m

Measuring intellectual humility - extended version discussing additional measures18m

4 readings

Before you finish...10m

End of course assignments

3 hours to complete

4 readings

4 readings

Show what you learned by editing the Wikipedia entry on intellectual humility!10m

A brief How-To10m

TRAILER: Intellectual Humility: Science10m

TRAILER: Intellectual Humility: Practice10m

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
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Is financial aid available?
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Will I earn university credit for completing the Course?
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Intellectual Humility: Theory

Intellectual Humility: Theory