Helping Open-Mindedness Flourish‪.‬

The ideal of open-mindedness first emerges in Greek philosophy and is succinctly and memorably captured in the Socratic notion of being prepared to follow the argument where it leads (Hare, 2009, p. 7). This means being genuinely concerned to avoid bias, wishful thinking, and other factors, that threaten to compromise a serious examination of the evidence (Hare, 2007, p. 21); and it means being ready to view one's conclusions, no matter how strongly supported, as potentially revisable in the light of further evidence given the fallible nature of knowledge claims (Hare, 1993, p. 88). An open-minded person is prepared to entertain any relevant evidence, to concede that an unwelcome conclusion indeed follows, and to allow that a position presently held cannot be sustained. In brief, open-mindedness is an intellectual virtue that reveals itself in a willingness to form and revise our ideas in the light of a critical review of evidence and argument that strives to meet the elusive ideals of objectivity and impartiality (Hare, 1993, p. 81).1 It is all too easy, of course, to fall short of the norms embedded in the moral and intellectual virtues. Threats of violence and other unwelcome consequences lead us to abandon our ideals in the face of risks and dangers; excuses, exceptions, and rationalizations very quickly undermine our allegiance to fundamental principles; fears, temptations and pressures weaken our resolve and override any inclination we might otherwise have to act virtuously. Open-mindedness is equally vulnerable. All too often, evidence that might point elsewhere is ignored or discounted, alternative possibilities are dismissed out of hand, and reasons are sought merely to support a conclusion that is already regarded as settled.