We live in a polarised world where all too often people talk past each other. But do you know when to believe what others say? For example, how quick should we be to accept something that someone else tells us is true, and what should we be looking out for when assessing a person's trustworthiness? Meanwhile, what should we do when we encounter disagreements with people who seem to be our equals? How and when should we adjust our beliefs, and how does the appropriate response vary depending on the evidence? These challenges may be especially important in the arena of religious disagreements. How should we weigh the evidence for and against various theistic and atheistic stances?
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Experts in psychology, philosophy, theology and education are conducting exciting new research on these questions, and the results have important, real-world applications. 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.
In this course we will examine the following major questions about applied issues surrounding intellectual humility:
• Should you believe what people say?
• How should we handle disagreement?
• What is the role of evidence in resolving religious disagreements?
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 can be taken as a part of a series which explores the theory, the science and the applied issues surrounding intellectual humility. Before, we considered how to define and measure intellectual humility, what intellectual virtue is, whether we are born or can become humble, and what cognition and emotions can tell us about intellectual humility. If you are interested, complete all three courses to gain a broader understanding of this fascinating topic. Look for:
• Intellectual Humility: Theory
• Intellectual Humility: Science
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Getting Started
Should You Believe What People Say?
Professor Peter Graham points out that a great deal of what we know, we know because other people told us. But can we always believe them? Should we be trusting, or sceptical? The truth lies somewhere in the middle. This lecture will offer you some guidelines on how to find it, and on how to avoid the pitfalls created by our fears, biases, and over-confidence.
WEEK 2
How Should We Handle Disagreement?
Resolving disagreements may seem easy when one person clearly knows more about the topic of disagreement than the other. But what about cases where both parties are equally knowledgable and capable - in other words, when they are intellectual equals? Professor Catherine Elgin discusses various strategies we can adopt, and helps us understand how people who have the same evidence and reasoning ability can still disagree.
WEEK 3
Resolving Religious Disagreements: The Role of Evidence
Dr Katherine Dormandy explains why religious disagreements are so often particularly hard to resolve. Distinguishing between two types of evidence one can have in religious discussions - public and private - she evaluates three Evidence Weighting Policies we can use in determining how to approach others when talking about religion.
WEEK 4
End of course Assignments
