Embracing Wisdom: Acknowledging Limits and Embracing Mistakes for Intellectual Humility

 MARLON D. MACALMA

Divine Word College of Laoag, Ilocos Norte, Philippines

 Abstract

 

In this paper, I will argue in affirmation that a life without thinking about yourself can become boring and not satisfying. Socrates, a wise philosopher, reminds us that life becomes more meaningful and interesting when we keep asking questions, learning new things, and growing. The paper begins with a review of the literature on the profound philosophy that a meaningful and purposeful existence necessitates continuous self-reflection, intellectual inquiry, and the conscious exploration of one's beliefs and values, challenging individuals to embrace a life of thoughtful examination to unlock the true depth of human experience.

 

Keywords: unexamined life, life not worth living, self-reflection, introspection

 

Introduction

 

Socrates, one of the most well-known figures in Western philosophical thought, popularly declared, "The unexamined life is not worth living." This deep statement, though not directly quoted from any written work, has become symbolic of Socratic philosophy. Its significance lies not only in its historical background but also in its enduring significance to modern society. Socrates' emphasis on self-examination and intellectual humility challenges individuals to explore into the depths of their beliefs, values, and actions, fostering personal and intellectual growth. This reflection aims to explore the profound implications of Socrates' assertion, drawing insights from both historical sources and contemporary scholarship.

 

Socrates' statement serves as a uniting call for individuals to engage in introspection and serious inquiry. While its origins can be traced back to Plato's "Apology," where Socrates defends himself during his trial, the implications of this statement reach well beyond the confines of the courtroom. Socrates believed that true wisdom arises from recognizing the limits of one's knowledge and being open to recurrent learning and self-improvement. In a society commonly characterized by unwavering beliefs, Socrates' encouragement for self-examination prompts individuals to adopt intellectual humility and recognize the possibilities for personal development.

 

Building upon Socrates' foundational ideas, contemporary scholars like Woodruff explain the practical consequences of Socratic ethics. According to Woodruff (2023), Socratic ethics asks you to change your life, value justice over happiness, and examine yourself all your life. In making moral decisions, you should use a kind of judgment that is not limited by theory and does not fall for false images or doubles of the virtues, such as fearlessness for courage. You should promote virtue also in your community, fostering a collective commitment to moral excellence.

 

Reflecting on Socrates' perspective, one is prompted to consider how self-reflection and the willingness to challenge norms contribute to personal and intellectual development. Embracing Socratic ideals encourages individuals to cultivate open-mindedness, pursue knowledge persistently, and engage in meaningful dialogue with others. By questioning their beliefs and values, individuals can deepen their understanding of themselves and the world around them, surpassing artificial appearances to expose deep truths.

 

Intellectual Humility and Continuous Learning:

 

Socrates' call for self-examination serves as a powerful reminder to acknowledge the boundaries of our knowledge, urging us to embrace intellectual humility. This concept gains further support from the insights of Porter (2015), who emphasizes that individuals with intellectual humility are conscious of the potential errors in their thinking. Intellectual humility, as she describes it, involves recognizing that our beliefs and opinions may not always be accurate. In essence, it requires a willingness to accept the imperfection of our intellect. Porter goes on to highlight a crucial aspect of intellectual humility, pointing to the influence of "identified beliefs" about intelligence. This suggests that our perceptions and beliefs regarding our own intelligence play an essential role in shaping intellectual humility. By intervening at the level of individuals' beliefs, there is an opportunity to cultivate intellectual humility and its associated positive outcomes. Simply put, developing intellectual humility involves being aware of the natural boundaries in our understanding and recognizing the possibility of making mistakes. Intellectual humility and continuous learning are like two good friends that help us become better thinkers and learners. Being intellectually humble means understanding that we don't know everything and being open to the idea that we can make mistakes. It's about recognizing that our thoughts and beliefs might not always be right.

 

Continuous learning is about never stopping the process of gaining new knowledge and skills. It's like a lifelong adventure of discovering new things and understanding the world better. When we're intellectually humble, we're more open to learning because we accept that there's always more to know. Together, intellectual humility and continuous learning create a powerful duo that guides us to approach life with an open mind, always ready to explore, question, and grow. This mindset not only helps us become wiser individuals but also fosters a positive and curious approach to the ever-changing world around us.

 

Self-Reflection for Personal Growth:

 

Socrates' focus on looking at our own life connects with what modern psychology tells us. Thinking about yourself regularly is important for getting better and growing. It helps you to know yourself more, your good and not-so-good parts, and what makes you want to do things. When you explore and think about yourself, you can find areas where you can become better and take steps to make yourself stronger and improve. Reflecting on yourself makes you more aware of who you are, which is really important for growing as a person. It helps you figure out why you react or act in certain ways and gives you insights into how you usually behave. When you recognize these habits, you can make choices on purpose and get better at making good decisions (source: https://esoftskills.com/importance-self-reflection-growth/).

 

Cultural Competence:

 

Cultural competence is about the ability to relate to people who may be of different cultures to oneself, including all aspects of cultures such as race, gender and sexuality. Russell, G. (2020) also stressed in his book “Reflecting on a Way of Being: Anchor Principles of Cultural Competence” that to relate to difference effectively, it is fundamental that one knows oneself. Each of us is made up of many different parts that make us who we are. How we show these parts through our actions and the way we live is really important in figuring out our true selves. It's not just about the obvious things like the food we like, the holidays we enjoy, the clothes we wear, or the languages we speak. It goes deeper – understanding who we are at a more profound level. This involves not only knowing what we think about the world but also understanding how those thoughts came to be. It means trying to be clear about how we learned things while growing up, what ideas we hold, and where those ideas came from. It's like looking closely at how we were influenced by our surroundings, recognizing our preferences, and figuring out where our biases come from.

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

To sum it up, the reflection on Socrates' thought, "The unexamined life is not worth living," illuminates the consistent themes of intellectual humility, continuous learning, self-reflection for personal growth, and cultural competence. Socrates' call for self-examination serves as a foundational principle, urging individuals to embrace intellectual humility by acknowledging the limitations of their knowledge. Porter's insights further emphasize the importance of recognizing potential errors in thinking and fostering a willingness to accept the imperfection of one's intellect.

 

The discussion on self-reflection underscores its significance for personal growth, drawing parallels between Socratic philosophy and modern psychological perspectives. Regular self-examination is portrayed as a crucial tool for understanding oneself, identifying areas for improvement, and making conscious choices to enhance decision-making skills. The emphasis on self-awareness aligns with the broader notion of Socratic wisdom, emphasizing a continuous process of self-discovery and improvement.

 

Cultural competence emerges as a vital dimension, highlighting the understanding that effective relations with individuals from diverse cultures require a foundational knowledge of oneself. The reflection delves into the complexity of personal identity, urging individuals to explore deeper aspects beyond observable traits, such as food preferences or language spoken. Russell's insights further reinforce the idea that cultural competence involves recognizing and understanding one's own cultural influences, preferences, and biases.

 

In summary, Socrates' timeless wisdom serves as a guiding thread, weaving together intellectual humility, self-reflection, and cultural competence into a cohesive narrative. This reflection encourages individuals not only to examine their lives but also to cultivate a continuous willingness to learn, grow, and engage with the complexities of their personal and cultural identities.

  

References:

 

 

Porter, Tenelle Joan (May 2015). Intellectual Humility, Mindset and Learning (Thesis). Stanford University.

 

Russell, G. (2020). Reflecting on a Way of Being: Anchor Principles of Cultural Competence. In: Frawley, J., Russell, G., Sherwood, J. (eds) Cultural Competence and the Higher Education Sector. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-5362-2_3

 

Woodruff, Paul, 'The Spirit of Socrates', Living Toward Virtue: Practical Ethics in the Spirit of

Socrates (New York, 2023; online edition, Oxford Academic, 15 December 2022), https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780197672129.003.0002

 

https://esoftskills.com/importance-self-reflection-growth/.

 

 

 

The Urgency of Teaching Moral Values to the Students in the Philippine Setting

 RICKY MARK L. ANCHETA

Divine Word College of Laoag

Abstract

Moral values are ideals or virtuous principles to which people adhere to distinguish between right and wrong. These ideals or virtues are considered to be beneficial in the formation of a person's character. Moral value encompasses a range of virtuous attributes, such as honesty, integrity, veracity, compassion, helpfulness, love, respect, and diligence, among others. A collection of governing principles known as moral values aids in differentiating between good and evil. Environmentally and nationally responsible individuals who are also intelligent, skilled, morally virtuous, self-reliant, and religious are the products of national education. Education and the transmission of moral principles are therefore indispensable for the production of human capital possessing such attributes. The obligation to impart moral values extends beyond governmental jurisdiction and has far-reaching consequences for all facets of society and the nation at large. This study pertains to the following topics: values introduction, the meaning of moral values in the life of a learner, and the importance of moral values. What benefits do strong moral values provide? Programs for international school-based values education and the integration of moral values to the different disciplines in the Philippines. Is teaching moral values to the students important?

Keywords: Values Education, Moral Values, International Vales Formation Program, National Values Education, Morality

Introduction

Education, in a broad sense, refers to a process of acquiring knowledge, developing skills, and instilling habits among a collective of individuals through instruction, training, research, or self-directed study. By education, people’s moral values can be improved, especially students’. I think education is the best way to teach people about moral values. One of the programs in the department is the implementation of the Moral Recovery Program (MRP) which refers to the national campaign for moral renewal which includes the objectives, strategies, and cumulative experiences generated in the course of implementing Presidential Proclamation No. 62 dated 30 September 1992.

The objective of national education is to produce intelligent, skilled, morally upright, self-reliant, and religious individuals who are also environmentally and nationally accountable. As a result, education and the imparting of moral principles are crucial for producing human capital with such qualities. Teaching moral values is not solely the responsibility of the government; it also affects every aspect of society and the nation as a whole.

Value education is the process through which individuals impart moral principles to one another. It is a process that can occur in any human organization wherein individuals are assisted by others, who may be more experienced and in a more experienced state, in making their ethics explicit.

The purpose is to evaluate the effectiveness of these values and the behavior associated with them for the long-term well-being of both oneself and others. Participants also reflect on and acquire alternative values and behavior that they perceive as more effective for the long-term well-being of oneself and others. The concepts of literacy and education are distinct.

Meaning of Moral Values

            Moral values are virtuous principles or ideals that individuals adhere to to differentiate between right and evil. These ideals or virtues are regarded as valuable in the development of an individual's character. Moral value pertains to virtuous qualities including but not limited to honesty, integrity, veracity, compassion, helpfulness, love, respect, and diligence. Moral values are a collection of guiding principles that assist in distinguishing between good and evil.

Moral values comprise a collection of accepted beliefs or principles that direct an individual toward holding lofty views and adhering to the path of morality. Moral values play a crucial role in discerning whether a pupil possesses a good or bad character. Moral values are an effective means of promoting peace and harmony, since there is no room for violence or catastrophe when all individuals conduct themselves well.

Importance of Moral Values

Moral values serve as the foundation of our actions, decisions, and interactions with others. They shape our personal character, guide our behavior, and ultimately contribute to the overall well-being of society. Likewise, moral values play a crucial role in discerning whether a pupil possesses a good or bad character. Moral values are an effective means of promoting peace and harmony, since there is no room for violence or catastrophe when all individuals conduct themselves well. Morally upright students are bestowed with privileges and gifts by the administration, particularly during honors ceremonies.

Additionally, they ensure that immature pupils remain upright before the law, since having sound morals signifies that one is consistently abiding by the law. Whether or not you attract decent friends is contingent on your moral principles. As the evil will always seek evil, so too will the virtuous desire good company. Moral values enable one to determine what is right and wrong for oneself. Thus, you acquire the capacity to make decisions by relying on moral values.

Moral values reveal an individual's true nature. The spirituality and character of an individual are shaped by his moral values. A student is guided in accordance with moral values, given that they are learners. They are the most indispensable learners because their impact endures a lifetime. The fact that one cannot learn from exam deception is one way in which moral values are beneficial. Particularly moral values, values establish a foundation for one's life and dictate one's future. Being guided by moral values is essential for avoiding deviance. Moral values inspire in students a sense of appreciation for life and, in particular, for their educators, which garners them the recognition they merit. Good relationships with others are predicated on moral principles.

Moral values are able to eradicate issues such as deceit, envy, violence, and dishonesty, among others. They can be eliminated through the acquisition of excellent moral values. Students who adhere to moral principles demonstrate sincerity, which is critical in this era of education. Moral values bestow upon one a mental fortitude that endures numerous adversities throughout one's lifetime. Possessing and applying moral principles endows students with a form of mental fortitude that inspires fearlessness and enables them to surmount a multitude of challenges.

Students who exemplify moral values and recognize their significance are more inclined to develop into responsible global citizens who will steer society in the correct direction. Those who possess high moral standards will demonstrate reverence for women and abstain from engaging in abusive conduct. Having strong moral principles enables one to persevere through a variety of difficult circumstances. The pupil is exposed to the world progressively. Because the actual world is so vast, the student is confronted with numerous temptations to acquire a great deal too quickly. Virtuous principles restrain this insatiable inquiry. Along the path to development, pupils who possess sound moral values not only have the humility to seek the appropriate guidance but also the insight to recognize their own need for it. Respect is accorded to a pupil who upholds his moral principles in all circumstances. His views are valued, and he carries himself with dignity.Moral values facilitate the cultivation of honesty in one's life, which is invariably advantageous for the future since a promising future cannot be achieved through deceit.

The Benefits of Moral Values

Individuals are provided with a framework for personal growth and development by moral values. They influence our actions, define our beliefs, and shape our identities. Through the observance of ethical values including honesty, compassion, and integrity, people foster a sense of personal value, develop trust, and forge significant connections. Moral values serve as a guiding principle, enabling people to make decisions that are consistent with their conscience and promote their general welfare.

Social welfare and stability are promoted by a community founded upon moral principles. By upholding principles such as fairness, empathy, and respect, individuals foster an atmosphere that promotes cooperation, understanding, and empathy. Community members develop stronger interpersonal bonds, fewer conflicts arise, and a greater sense of belonging as a result of their mutual regard. Moral values facilitate the convergence of individuals from various social and cultural contexts, thereby promoting solidarity and social cohesion.

The influence of moral values on the processes of ethical decision-making is crucial. In the midst of intricate decision-making processes, moral values furnish individuals with a guiding principle to maneuver through ethical quandaries. By maintaining values such as honesty, accountability, and justice, individuals are empowered to make choices that are in the best interest of society as a whole and adhere to ethical principles. Through the incorporation of moral principles into the process of making decisions, individuals actively participate in the establishment of an ethical society that advocates for principles of equity and impartiality.

Character formation for future generations is inextricably linked to moral values. We provide children and young adults with the necessary tools to develop into responsible, compassionate, and ethical individuals by imparting moral values in them. Moral development in young individuals is significantly influenced by education, family, and community. An early inculcation of values such as respect, integrity, and empathy fosters a generation that recognizes the significance of ethical behavior and actively participates in bettering society.

Moral values serve as the bedrock of a just, compassionate, and harmonious society. They guide our actions, shape our character, and foster social cohesion. Upholding moral values is not only essential for individual well-being but also for the collective progress and sustainability of society. By prioritizing moral values in our personal lives, education systems, and institutions, we can create a world that embraces empathy, fairness, and integrity, paving the way for a brighter future for all.

Integration of School-based Values Education in the International Setting

Character Education

Character education is a comprehensive concept that typically encompasses the instruction of children to foster their growth as individuals and as members of society. Further investigation is necessary to elucidate the precise meaning of the phrase "personal and social being" as given in this definition. Social and emotional development, moral reasoning and cognitive growth, health education, life skill instruction, violence prevention, critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and conflict resolution and mediation are all encompassed within this category.

Indian Government

In its institutions, the Indian government is presently promoting values education. The Ministry of Human Resource Development has implemented significant measures to instill values in teacher preparation programs and educational institutions. India is also recognized as the land that introduced values. Under the guidance of B. Shaji Kumar, the New Golden Education Trust (NGET) has been advancing value-based education in institutions across India, from pre-primary to twelfth grade.

Japan Education

Students in the first through ninth grades of elementary and secondary school will be instructed on the significance of life, the value of tolerance towards differing viewpoints, the virtues of fairness and nationalism, and knowledge of foreign cultures.

Singapore Education

The curriculum for teaching civics and moral education programs is uniform across teacher training institutions in Singapore; however, due to the absence of assessment, students fail to adequately consider these programs. It has been suggested that the dearth of innovative teaching methods, such as discourse pedagogy, is the cause.

Thailand Education

Historically, values have been imparted in Thailand through the medium of Buddhist religious education. Applied values as an extracurricular pursuit that is inclusive of Buddhist, Muslim, and Christian students has been revived since 1982 to better equip Thai students for the repercussions of globalization.

United Kingdom Education

Since 1988, the British government has promoted and respected values under the guise of spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development (SMSCD), without recognizing or labeling its values education. Rather, individual schools have been tasked with determining how values education standards should be met. There is ambiguity regarding the existence of values education standards.

Integration of Moral Values in the Philippines

In the Philippines, values education is promoted through various subjects across different grade levels. The following are some of the subjects that focus on values education:

Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (EsP)

Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao, which translates to "Education in Character," is a subject specifically designed to inculcate values and develop students' moral character. It is taught from Kindergarten to Grade 12 and covers topics such as self-awareness, respect for others, empathy, social responsibility, and moral decision-making.h

Araling Panlipunan (Social Studies)

Araling Panlipunan is a subject that encompasses history, geography, economics, and civics. It includes lessons on national identity, cultural heritage, citizenship, and social responsibility. By studying the history and society of the Philippines, students are exposed to values like patriotism, nationalism, and social justice. 

Science and Health

Subjects such as Science and Health incorporate values education by emphasizing ethical behavior and responsible decision-making. Students learn about environmental conservation, health and hygiene, and the importance of scientific integrity. These subjects promote values like respect for nature, responsible use of resources, and the significance of honesty and accuracy in scientific research.

Physical Education and Music

While Physical Education and Music subjects focus primarily on physical and artistic development, they also contribute to values education. These subjects promote teamwork, discipline, perseverance, and appreciation for cultural diversity. Students learn the value of cooperation, respect for rules, and the importance of self-expression through physical activities and artistic endeavors.

English and Filipino

Language subjects like English and Filipino also play a role in promoting values education. Through literature, poetry, and stories, students are exposed to moral dilemmas, ethical issues, and lessons on empathy, compassion, and integrity. Analyzing literary works provides opportunities for students to discuss and reflect on values and moral lessons.

Conclusion

Values education should be interwoven throughout the curriculum, not confined to specific disciplines. The aim is to promote comprehensive development and moral growth in pupils, providing them with the values and ideals needed to become accountable and ethical individuals.

Students represent the Philippines's future. As students, they are exposed to moral principles that will determine the course of our nation's future. They will attain significant positions and become physicians, politicians, businesspeople, engineers, scientists, and more. Moral instruction must be systematically instilled in students attending schools and colleges. Moral principles bestow upon us joy, self-assurance, and profound gratification. These values mold us into gentle, internally attractive beings.

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The Elementary School Journal, 110, 585–608

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