Works in Progress
"Respect as an Intellectual Virtue" (with Adam C. Pelser), in Intellectual Virtue and Civil Discourse, ed. Gregg A. Ten Elshof, Thomas M. Crisp, and Steve L. Porter (publisher TBD).
ABSTRACT: One key ingredient of civil discourse missing from much public discourse is respect. Respect can refer to an attitude, judgment, or feeling, but there is also a moral virtue of respect and an intellectual variant of that virtue. The person who possesses the intellectual virtue of respect has equal basic respect for all epistemic agents, but also feels and shows special respect for epistemic authorities and the intellectually virtuous. We explore a number of aspects of and bases for such intellectual respect. Moreover, we distinguish intellectual respect for persons from respect for their views. While all persons deserve basic intellectual respect, some views deserve less respect than others. Indeed, some views expressed in public discourse are absurd and downright evil. We consider whether contempt for such views and their purveyors is the best course of action in the public square, or whether more respectful modes of critical response are preferable.
"Cultivating Intellectual Humility in the Classroom," recently presented at the Kuyers Institute Conference, “Faith and Teaching: Virtue, Practice, Imagination,” Calvin College, October 2015.
ABSTRACT: This paper sketches a model of intellectual humility cultivation suitable for classroom application. It involves two aspects: conceptual analysis and practice development. First, I distinguish two vices relative to intellectual humility that feature prominently in many abortive attempts at teaching and learning: intellectual domination and intellectual hyper-autonomy. The intellectually dominating person has a disordered desire to influence others’ minds; the hyper-autonomous person resists dependence on others. Building on this conceptual analysis, I note some ways that classroom practices can inadvertently encourage these vices, and sketch multiple practices aimed at cultivating their virtuously humble counterparts.
"Anger and the Cultivation of Christian Virtues," in Cultivating Christian Virtue, ed. Michael W. Austin (publisher TBD).
ABSTRACT: [Coming soon]
"Remedial Virtues," in Becoming Good, ed. Adam C. Pelser and W. Scott Cleveland (publisher TBD).
ABSTRACT: [Coming soon]