Event details
Date: June 28-30, 2018
Location: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Virtues in the University
August 20-22, 2018
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Virtues in the University
The theme of the seminar is Virtues in the University. One task traditionally ascribed to universities is that they are supposed to inculcate certain moral and intellectual virtues in their students, such as intellectual honesty, open-mindedness, inquisitiveness, thoroughness, decency. Should universities still aspire to these things, and if so why? And if we assume they should, the critical question is whether they are successful at it, and, if not, why not? There is also the question which traits are virtues. And there is the question how to best instil these virtues.
Speakers
Prof. Gordon Graham (Princeton Theological Seminary)
Prof. Heather Battaly (University of Connecticut)
Dr. Edwin Koster (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
Prof. Daniel Howard Snyder (Western Washington University)
Dr. Joeri Tijdink (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
Dr. Jeroen de Ridder (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
Dr. Frances Howard Snyder (Western Washington University)
Prof. Ian Kidd (University of Nottingham)
Program
August 20 @ HG-03C01 Agora 1
| 09.30 – 11.00 | Gordon Graham | The Moral and Intellectual Tasks of the University |
| 11.00 – 11.30 | Coffee break | |
| 11.30 – 13.00 | Frances Howard Snyder | Is this a good question? |
| 13.00 – 14.00 | Lunch break | |
| 14.00 – 15.30 | Edwin Koster | Bildung’ through Films. How to Discuss Existential Questions in Academia? |
| 15.30 – 16.00 | Coffee break | |
| 16.00 – 17.30 | Ian James Kidd | Virtues Under Threat: Epistemic Corruption in Higher Education |
18:45 – 21.00: Canal boat trip incl. dinner
August 21 @ HG-03C01 Agora 1
| 09.30 – 11.00 | Jeroen de Ridder | Collective Intellectual Virtues |
| 11.00 – 11.30 | Coffee break | |
| 11.30 – 13.00 | Heather Battaly | Intellectual Perseverance |
| 13.00 – 14.00 | Lunch break | |
| 14.00 – 15.30 | Daniel Howard-Snyder | The virtue of faith |
| 15.30 – 16.00 | Coffee break | |
| 16.00 – 17.30 | Gordon Graham |
Does academic research contribute to practical wisdom? |
18.30 – 21.30: Dinner
August 22 @ HG-03C01 Agora 1
| 09.30 – 11.00 | Daniel Howard-Snyder | Human inquiry, epistemic circularity, intellectual humility, and people of faith |
| 11.00 – 11.30 | Coffee break | |
| 11.30 – 13.00 | Joeri Tijdink | Becoming a happy, successful and responsible scientist |
| 13.00 – 14.00 | Lunch break | |
| 14.00 – 15.30 | Heather Battaly | Facilitating Intellectual Virtues in the Classroom |
| 15.30 – … | Closing drinks |
For whom?
The Summer Seminar unites participants from a wide range of academic backgrounds, all interested in the value of the humanities. We welcome (PhD-) students and others working in academia (postdocs, (assistent) professors etc.), as well as policy officers.
Amsterdam Summer Seminar
The seminar is the fourth in a series of seminars we have been organizing over the last four years. They are organized by the Abraham Kuyper Center for Science and the Big Questions, based at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The Center is named after the founding father of this university, who had definite ideas about the university, the sciences, the humanities, and their relations with the big quesions.
Organization committee
Rik Peels
Jeroen de Ridder
Elisa Matse (Contact: abrahamkuypercenter@vu.nl)
René van Woudenberg
The organizers gratefully acknowledge the support of Templeton World Charity Foundation.
