Intellectual Virtues

Dalat students think innovatively by embracing new opportunities, taking risks, and overcoming setbacks.

When we think of character, the first thing in our minds is usually actions. Honesty, kindness, and compassion are seen as good character traits. In the book Virtuous Minds, Phil Dow, head of school at Black Forest Academy in Germany, writes about the importance of developing intellectual virtues in students. He says that intellectual character is actually the foundation of our actions. Our minds must first think in virtuous ways before our actions follow. A number of these intellectual virtues are directly applicable to this Student Outcome Statement (SOS).

Intellectual Courage is required to take risks. In the realm of the mind, we have to be willing to try new things and re-examine our beliefs and thinking patterns. Young children tend to be innately curious and ask hundreds of questions per day. As they grow older, they ask fewer questions out of a desire to learn. Sometimes, we are afraid to ask questions that challenge the assumptions we have already developed. These also tie to the virtues of Intellectual Curiosity and Intellectual Honesty.

Here’s a timely example that we see often. A student has to write a research paper and is asked to choose a topic. Without the intellectual virtues of courage and curiosity, they are likely to choose something about which they already know a great deal. This is the easier route and will likely earn a good grade. It takes a character of courage to attempt a brand new topic or even to research a viewpoint that is in contrast to one’s own beliefs and convictions. However, the learning is much greater in the second scenario.

Intellectual Tenacity is a virtue required to overcome setbacks. We must be willing to think about alternative pathways to success. When something doesn’t work out as planned, we need to think of other options and be willing to pursue them.

A few weeks ago, we had a school-wide focus on showing kindness. Some of my middle school students were talking about a friend who is often unkind. They had a big decision to make. The easier choice was to end the close friendship with this person. The more difficult choice is to continue being friends and try to help the person learn to be more kind. That takes a lot of tenacity, as there will likely be many failures before success is achieved.

As we encourage our students to take risks and overcome setbacks, our role as parents and educators is to provide a safety net. We want them to try new things, but we also provide boundaries. As they explore and take risks, we must often demonstrate the virtue of Intellectual Humility. By admitting that we don’t always have the right answer, we model that we also are continually learning.

If you’re interested in pursuing this topic, Phil Dow’s book Virtuous Minds: Developing Intellectual Character is a great read.