How can we balance our most deeply held
convictions with humility and open-mindedness?
This has been the central question guiding Humility and Conviction in Public Life,
a research and engagement project investigating how intellectual humility—being aware of our own cognitive limitations and biases, and being responsive to the evidence—can promote healthier and more meaningful public conversation. Sponsored by generous grants from the John Templeton Foundation and the University of Connecticut, HCPL has involved an unprecedented combination of research and engagement. Highlights of its achievements include the following:
• 10 global teams of researchers working toward cultural change
• A nationally recognized dialogue model for community engagement
• Six interdisciplinary workshops
• A MOOC with participants from over 40 countries
• A podcast with over 40,000 downloads
• New forms of collaborative research and digital scholarly communication
• Over 200 publications both popular and peer-reviewed
• Three major public forums and media initiatives
• Educational initiatives at the collegiate and high school levels
• An active fellowship program for both researchers and community practitioners
