Shaping Character Begins with Shaping How You Think

Good education is not just about content; it's about character. In Virtuous Minds, Philip E. Dow presents a compelling case for recovering intellectual character in our schools, communities, and personal lives. When society struggles with dishonesty, lazy thinking, and arrogance, the cultivation of intellectual virtue offers a transformative path forward.

This wise and practical guide explores seven essential intellectual virtues that form the foundation of good thinking and ethical living. Through engaging stories, biblical wisdom, and practical insights, Dow shows how these virtues are teachable traits that can produce flourishing lives.

This book equips readers to cultivate virtue in themselves while also helping them transform the spaces where they teach and lead. The recovery of virtue, Dow argues, is not about doing the right things, but about becoming the right kind of person, someone who demonstrates love for both God and neighbor.

Key Features of Virtuous Minds:



- Explores seven key virtues: courage, carefulness, tenacity, fair-mindedness, curiosity, honesty, and humility

- Offers a distinctively Christian approach to intellectual character development

- Equips educators, administrators, and education students with practical, substantive instruction they can apply directly in their classrooms





What's New in the Second Edition:



- Updated material engaging the most current conversations in intellectual virtue

- New chapters dedicated to practical classroom application

- A new preface situating this work at the forefront of a growing movement toward intellectual character development





This deep yet practical book is great for Christian educators, parents, pastors, and students who long to cultivate integrity and virtue in themselves and their students. Virtuous Minds provides the biblical foundation and practical tools needed to transform thinking habits and develop intellectual character that honors God.



Philip E. Dow (PhD, Cambridge University) is the head of school at Black Forest Academy in Kandern, Germany. His career in education, both as a teacher and a school leader, spans three continents and over thirty years.



Foreword by Jason Baehr



Acknowledgments



Preface to the Second Edition



Introduction

Part 1: The Seven Intellectual Virtues



1. Intellectual Courage



2. Intellectual Carefulness



3. Intellectual Tenacity



4. Intellectual Fair-Mindedness



5. Intellectual Curiosity



6. Intellectual Honesty



7. Intellectual Humility

Part 2: The Fruits of Intellectual Character



8. The Benefits of Knowing More about More



9. The Benefits of Better Thinking



10. Loving God



11. Loving Your Neighbor

Part 3: Becoming People of Intellectual Character



12. Becoming Intellectually Virtuous: Suggestions for Everyone



13. Becoming Intellectually Virtuous: Suggestions for School Leadership



14. Becoming Intellectually Virtuous: Suggestions for the Classroom–Part 1



15. Becoming Intellectually Virtuous: Suggestions for the Classroom–Part 2

Conclusion: Thinking Sheepishly?



A Discussion Guide for University and Church Groups



Appendix A: The Graduate Profile for Rosslyn Academy, 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 School Years



Appendix B: Intellectual Character Elementary Curriculum: Suggested Devotional Series for Grades One Through Three—Rosslyn Academy



Appendix C: Assessing Intellectual Character



Appendix D: The Berean Bursary



Appendix E: The Bear Creek School National Honor Society Intellectual Character Evaluation Form



Appendix F: The Bear Creek School Senior Project



Appendix G: Philosophy (the Love of Wisdom and Truth) and Logic (the Tools Needed to Find the Truth): Rosslyn Academy Course Outline



Appendix H: Introduction for the Intellectual Virtues Academy, Long Beach, California: Charter School Petition



Notes



References



Subject Index



"It is far easier to be conformed than it is to be transformed. Dow's book is a wake-up call for all of us to be diligent gardeners of our minds and souls."



"The book inspires the pursuit of intellectual virtue--it makes attractive a life characterized by the traits Dow discusses. I wanted to renew my efforts in the direction of intellectual virtue having read it. And I know my students, many of whom enter college with no real aim in sight beyond a degree which promises a high-paying position, would benefit from such inspiration. . . . I can easily imagine using it for an orientation course we offer to freshman philosophy majors."



"Philip Dow has given us a really important book, one that is both motivating and a pleasure to read. With excellent illustrations and carefully reasoned arguments, Dow challenges us to examine the way we use our minds. We are confronted with the critical importance of intellectual courage, curiosity, honesty and humility, and we are reminded that the weeds of intellectual carelessness grow effortlessly and bring with them consequences that can be sobering. Although there are other books which address the subject of the Christian mind, I am aware of none that addresses this subject with the clarity, thoroughness or motivational quality of Dow's work."



"A timely and thoughtful work for parents and pastors, teachers and students—anyone who thinks education is more about the quality of character than about the quantity of facts."



"This won't be an easy read for some, but it is a worthy one. You'll nurture high-level discussions that may be best to take place among your leaders, parents or in a weekend seminar setting. Still there are several practical steps that can give you traction for applying it personally or in your ministry."



"This is the first book of its kind and one that is urgently needed inside and outside the Christian community. . . . Dow's writing is accessible, engaging and fun. It is also intellectually astute, historically informed and packed with wonderful illustrations."



"The experienced teacher and administrator shows how intellectual attributes like courage, carefullness, tenacity, honesty, fair-mindedness, and humility enrich not only our studies but also our contributions in every realm of life."



"Dow has given Christian educators a commendable, thoughtful, quality book that merits wide readership, especially for those interested in intellectual character development. Works of this kind, especially from a Christian perspective, are truly needed, and this book is a valuable contribution to the field of literature on character education."



"While the Aristotle-inspired pursuit of the good life has generated an enormous literature on moral character, its importance and its development, the other side of the person, intellectual character, has been astonishingly neglected by both academics and (more importantly) the general public. Yet excellence, or 'virtue,' in both components is essential for leading the best kinds of life open to humans; fine traits of heart alone, without fine traits of mind, cannot get the job done. It is high time that explicit attention was paid--by educators, by parents, by leaders, by all of us--to the habits of mind that help people grab hold of truth, and to what it takes to develop such habits. Virtuous Minds is to be applauded for prompting such attention, and in such an accessible and practical-minded way. May it find the readership it deserves!"



"Phil Dow has written a provocative, compelling and engaging book that challenges Christians to consider the importance of intellectual character and to encourage them to self-consciously nurture virtuous intellectual habits. The book is a delightful read that addresses a subject that needs careful intellectual inquiry. I would recommend this book to anyone who is intentional about growing spiritually or who is involved in the cultivation of spiritual formation in the lives of young people."