Intellectual Humility: Practice

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/intellectual-humility-practice

Introduction

## Course Review: Intellectual Humility: Practice ### Overview In today’s increasingly polarized world, the ability to communicate effectively and critically assess the information we encounter is more important than ever. Coursera's course, **Intellectual Humility: Practice**, addresses these vital skills by engaging participants in a thoughtful exploration of when to believe others, how to handle disagreements, and the complexities of maintaining a rational discourse in various contexts, including religious discussions. ### Course Structure and Syllabus **Getting Started**: The introductory section sets the stage for an enlightening journey into the essence of intellectual humility. It emphasizes the importance of questioning our own beliefs and the beliefs of others, laying a strong foundation for the discussions that follow. **Should You Believe What People Say?**: Professor Peter Graham leads a compelling inquiry into the thresholds of trustworthiness and skepticism. He encourages students to recognize the balance between accepting information and maintaining a healthy level of skepticism. The practical guidelines he offers empower learners to navigate the minefield of information with a critical but open mind, mitigating the risks associated with biases and overconfidence. **How Should We Handle Disagreement?**: In a world where disagreements can escalate into conflict, Professor Catherine Elgin highlights strategies for resolving disputes between intellectual equals. This lecture is particularly enriching as it delves into methods to understand diverse perspectives and encourages respectful dialogue, making it applicable in both personal and professional contexts. **Resolving Religious Disagreements: The Role of Evidence**: Dr. Katherine Dormandy addresses one of the more sensitive arenas of disagreement—religion. By distinguishing between public and private evidence, she provides insight into the unique challenges posed by discussions on faith. Her exploration of Evidence Weighting Policies serves as a practical tool for engaging in religious dialogues respectfully and constructively. **End of Course Assignments**: As the course culminates, learners are tasked with assignments designed to reinforce the material covered. These assignments not only assess understanding but also encourage the application of concepts in real-world scenarios, thereby solidifying the students’ grasp of intellectual humility in practice. ### Course Delivery The course employs a mix of video lectures, interactive quizzes, and readings, facilitating a flexible and engaging learning experience. The professors are experts in their fields and convey the material with clarity and authority, making complex concepts accessible and relatable. ### Personal Reflection and Recommendation Having completed the **Intellectual Humility: Practice** course, I can confidently recommend it to anyone seeking to enhance their critical thinking skills and interpersonal communication. The insights gained from this course are invaluable, particularly in fostering more productive conversations in both personal and professional environments. Whether you're a student, a professional, or simply someone interested in improving your dialogue skills, this course offers practical techniques and frameworks that are applicable across various disciplines. The professors' expert guidance paired with engaging content truly makes this course a worthwhile investment in your intellectual development. In summary, if you find yourself in discussions often overshadowed by disagreement or miscommunication, **Intellectual Humility: Practice** will equip you with the tools to navigate these interactions with grace, respect, and understanding.

Syllabus

GETTING STARTED

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.

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.

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.