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Clarifying the Virtue Profile of the Good Thinker: An Interdisciplinary Approach

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Abstract

What does it mean to be a good thinker? Which virtues work together in someone who possesses good intellectual character? Although recent research on virtues has highlighted the benefits of individual intellectual virtues, being an excellent thinker is likely a function of possessing multiple intellectual virtues. Specifically, a good thinker would both recognize one’s intellectual shortcomings and possess an eagerness to learn driven by virtues such as love of knowledge, curiosity, and open-mindedness. Good intellectual character may only successfully manifest when individuals possess not just one or a few intellectual virtues, but a larger set of such virtues to different degrees. However, little is currently known about what combination of virtues are necessary for good thinking. We argue that it is important to identify and clarify the nature of the good thinker and outline a profile methodology for achieving this goal. This approach characterizes the good thinker in terms of a profile of multiple intellectual virtues. Understanding this profile can allow greater insight into the extent to which people possess such a profile, and the potential for societal benefits of educating for these qualities.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge Yuyan Han for her feedback on the original draft of the manuscript.

Funding

This publication was made possible through the support of grant #62669 from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27109, USA

    Juliette L Ratchford, William Fleeson, Qilin Zhang & Eranda Jayawickreme

  2. Department of Philosophy, Whitworth University, Spokane, USA

    Nathan L King

  3. School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom

    Laura E R Blackie

  4. Department of Psychology, Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey, USA

    Tenelle Porter

  5. Program for Leadership & Character, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27109, USA

    Eranda Jayawickreme

Authors
  1. Juliette L Ratchford
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  2. William Fleeson
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  3. Nathan L King
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  4. Laura E R Blackie
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  5. Qilin Zhang
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  6. Tenelle Porter
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  7. Eranda Jayawickreme
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Correspondence to Juliette L Ratchford or Eranda Jayawickreme.

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Ratchford, J.L., Fleeson, W., King, N.L. et al. Clarifying the Virtue Profile of the Good Thinker: An Interdisciplinary Approach. Topoi (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11245-024-10028-9

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