Recognize When You Are on the Wrong Intellectual Path

In this clip from episode 24 of the "Critical Thinking: Going Deeper" podcast, Drs. Linda Elder and Gerald Nosich discuss the importance of recognizing when one is on an unfruitful course of reasoning and should begin a new one.
On certain key terms from this video:
Intellectual perseverance is one of the intellectual virtues. It entails a consciousness of the need to use intellectual insights and truths in spite of difficulties, obstacles, and frustrations; firm adherence to rational principles despite the irrational opposition of others; and a sense of the need to struggle with confusion and unsettled questions over an extended period of time to achieve deeper understanding or insight.
Intellectual courage is one of the intellectual virtues. It entails having a consciousness of the need to face and fairly address ideas, beliefs or viewpoints toward which we have strong negative emotions and to which we have not given a serious hearing. This courage is connected with the recognition that ideas considered dangerous or absurd are sometimes rationally justified (in whole or in part) and that conclusions and beliefs inculcated in us are sometimes false or misleading. To determine for ourselves which is which, we must not passively and uncritically "accept" what we have "learned."
Intellectual virtues (AKA valuable intellectual traits or dispositions) are the interdependent traits of mind and character necessary for frequently and systematically engaging in reasonable, ethical thinking and action. These virtues are developed over time through routine, high-quality analysis and evaluation of thought - e.g., by consistently applying rational intellectual standards to the elements of reasoning over time, while also identifying and intervening in the many manifestations of egocentric and sociocentric thinking that are natural to all humans. Intellectual virtues include, but are not limited to, intellectual sense of justice, intellectual perseverance, intellectual integrity, intellectual empathy, fairmindedness, and intellectual discipline.
This video touches briefly on one or a few aspect(s) of an overarching body of theory known as the Paul-Elder Framework for Critical Thinking, and its content must be understood in the broader context of this framework. You can become more familiar with our approach to critical thinking through other videos on this channel, and through our websites (see below).
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