Curiouser and Curiouser: The Virtue of Wonder

Abstract

through virtues of thought. Through our actions and attitudes toward scholarly work and through the academic expectations we place upon our students, we represent and convey certain beliefs about the ethics of teaching and learning One of the most valuable intellectual capacities we can foster in our students is the art of being curious. As a state of inquisitive attention to the world, curiosity embodies both intellectual and moral virtues. By drawing on the medieval monastic unity of intellectual and moral life, traditional religious practices such as hospitality, obedience, and charity can be applied to academic work. By cultivating students' intellectual curiosity, we encourage in them a more balanced set of scholarly skills and attitudes, and we help them to grow in wisdom, kindness, and generosity.