ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Intellectual virtues

Intellectual virtues are like superpowers that help us be really good at thinking and learning. Just like superheroes have different powers like strength, speed or the ability to fly, we have different intellectual virtues that help us become excellent thinkers.

Let's take an example, honesty is an intellectual virtue. Being honest means that we always tell the truth and we don't lie. When we are honest, others can trust us, and it helps us learn and understand things better.

Another intellectual virtue is curiosity. This virtue makes us ask questions and want to learn more about things. When we are curious, we explore new ideas and try to find answers to our questions. This makes us smarter and helps us learn new things.

Other examples of intellectual virtues are open-mindedness, critical thinking, creativity, and persistence. These virtues help us evaluate information properly, think creatively and work hard to solve problems.

Just like we need to practice and develop our physical abilities to become better athletes, we also need to practice and develop our intellectual virtues to become better thinkers. We can do this by reading, studying, asking questions, and practicing things like critical thinking or problem-solving.

In conclusion, intellectual virtues are like special abilities that help us be great thinkers. They include things like honesty, curiosity, and persistence, and we can develop them by practicing regularly.