The Moral Cost of Certainty: Why Humanists Should Embrace Intellectual Humility

Humanism is a proud proponent of rationality, facts and research. Nevertheless, certainty can challenge itself quite readily as virtue even in societies that are not religious and are based on rationalism. This ambition to be right may continually prevail over the humanist spirit of curiosity, compassion and open-mindedness in the discourse of science, politics or ethics. Ironically, moral posture which is adherence to beliefs without concession can ruin humanism in which such beliefs are claimed.

The willingness to follow the limits of knowledge, which is called intellectual humility, is not the concession of weakness or indecision. It is quite an ethical and practical necessity. Humility will enable humanists to serve as a corrective to dogmatism, expand their moral imagination and develop the nature of discourse founded on reason and empathy which our partisan world so badly needs.

It is ironic to talk of the very notion of fundamentalism in a secular setting, yet it is a reality, too. Secular fundamentalism is characterized by the fact that the reason itself is a source of a moral superiority. What could be a discussion about climate change can easily turn into moral dances: the humanist who has quoted the most studies, or dropped the most statistics, or mocked the opponent, is usually proclaimed not as having a generous mind, but as an intellectually superior being.

Certainty can feel virtuous. At least, it can seem correct to be morally responsible to be right about science or ethics or logic, but certainty can become so rigid a pose that it closes the doors rather than opens them. It discourages inquiry, kills discourse and causes individuals with whom otherwise we might have persuaded to be distant. In the secular world, this is the gesture that normally takes the form of scorn or patronizing of individuals of varying levels of knowledge, education and general cultural orientation. It is not quite so evident, but equally big is the ethical price: it murders empathy and the humanist notion that knowledge can be utilized as a tool of mutual understanding, rather than a tool to engage in the game of being better-informed.

The scientific circles do not make an exception since the most significant factor is evidence. The problem of dogmatic thinking has been committed by researchers who disregard ideas that fail to affirm their research. It is not rational, but a human error. The recognition of the moral cost of certainty involves the recognition of the fact that intellectual arrogance, even to the extent of striving to find the truth, can be morally harmful. The absence of humility may lead to the creation of knowledge echo chambers among the well informed whereby facts are marshaled and not shared.

Other concerns are that intellectual humility may also descend into relativism, that the questioning of beliefs weakens them or makes them false or immoral. But humility is not the renunciation of reason. On the contrary, it is its companion. It is only humanists who can model this balance. Evidence commitment does not imply that we ought to be arrogant, but that we ought to be truthful, inquisitive and receptive.

As a concept, humility might be emulated through admitting the limitations of individual knowledge in the professional speech, by listening to the other person whenever they hold different perspectives, or by shifting the positions whenever it is reasonable in line of reasoning. Quite to the contrary, the practices under consideration enhance humanism because they make it a process rather than some proclamation, make reason a means of dialogue rather than subjugation.

The importance of recognizing ignorance as a moral and intellectual virtue has been a subject of discussion amongst philosophers since the era of Socrates to the current philosophers. The humility of Socrates and the realization that we know more than we know is everlasting to the humanists. It reminds us that everything is not always so definite and ethical activity is always a matter of consideration. The humanist willingness to shake powerful beliefs is potentially revolutionary in the world of ideological dogmatism of the time.

Why should it be so difficult to lose certainty? Psychology offers an answer. Human beings tend to stick to beliefs, and there are cases when they stick to those beliefs rather than what evidence demands. The confirmation bias is presented in the form of forces that make us lean towards information that confirms our views. The novices are victims of the Dunning-Kruger effect where they are overconfident with their knowledge, but motivation reasoning may be overridden by ideology, ignoring facts. That is not in immunity to even some well-educated thoughtful humanists.

Take vaccination, climate change or political ideology. Even those who are identified to be rational can find themselves clinging on to some arguments that they are accustomed to referencing and studies that support their selective stand. Moral and intellectual hazard is established by making this into emotional armor: we guard our beliefs not because they are correct, but because they confirm our image, our belonging to particular groups or even our perception of this world.

One step towards humility is knowing such traps in the mind. As soon as we acknowledge that our arguments are fallible, that we do not know something and that the evidence might be altered, we will be happy to live in the world more honestly. Intellectual humility is not a thing that is proclaimed. It is the knowledge of awareness, looking into ourselves and knowing when we are wrong.

Humility will also assist in avoiding ideological echo chambers. The social media and partisan news ecosystems create the illusion of being certain. The process of being dogmatic over opinions can be countered by humanists becoming conscious of our assumptions, experimenting with different opinions and not feeling compelled to win all the arguments.

Intellectual humility is not just socially or civically good but personally good, too. The three aspects of concern to humility in democratic discourse are listening, polarization and problem-solving. Doubt that is admitted by a politician or activist is credible, a debater willing to reconsider his or her stance is an integrity ideal.

The sense of humility improves interpersonal relationships as well. The willingness to listen to the opinions of other individuals leads to the further removal of defensiveness and conflicts and the development of empathy. Arguments that would otherwise degenerate into discussions are the channel to understand and educate. By training ourselves to be humble in our day-to-day lives, we are sending the message that being curious is more important than winning or overpowering someone.

Ethical decision-making can be applied using humility to think about them rather than unconsciously rate them. There are no easy solutions to difficult ethical issues. The humanist that is centered on humility heeds to the grayness when it comes to cases of ethical dilemmas, listens to communities that are affected and thinks through evidence before he or she acts. This plan boosts ethical reasoning and the implications.

The consequences are huge: societies become more deliberative, discussions are more subtle and we find more success in group problems. Humility is not a passive process, it is an active process of active interaction with the world and understanding that no single person and ideology has the ultimate solution.

How do humanists become humble? Some of the reflection and evidence-based strategies include the following:

Stop before Certainty: Before making a claim, ask yourself: What do I not know? What might I be missing?” Even within very brief time frames of contemplation, overconfidence can be controlled.

Take on the Other: Find dialogue with conflicting people. Hear to listen, not to answer. Extensive reading among the views creates empathy and critical thinking.

Test Beliefs Periodically: Review stands periodically on the basis of new evidence. Being able to admit that you are wrong to the world is not a sign of being weak–it shows integrity.

Teach Curiosity: Discourage passivity and apathy among children, students, or mentee students. Exemplify that it is a strength, not a failure, to change one’s mind.

Practice Reflection Asking: Why do I believe in something? Is it truth, affirmation or status that you want? Motivation awareness is useful to curb dogmatism. 

Embody Humility in Practice: In arguments, do not make certain or categorical statements. This promotes fairer and productive conversation.

These customs do not weaken the humanist belief. On the contrary, they fortify it. Humility also makes certainty not a stance, but an activity that makes our interaction with the world not to be a matter of arrogance; but rather one of inquisitiveness, kindness and honesty.

Intellectual humility is not only an individual quality, but it is an imperative of humanists. As the world grows more polarized on ideology, arrogance without humility can give rise to further destruction. Secular societies which do not model an open minded interaction run the risk of repeating the same dogmatic structures they attack in a religious or political structure.

Through humility, humanists are able to prove that knowledge and ethics are inseparable. Curiosity is turned into some kind of moral action, evidence is turned into the means of knowing and dialogue is turned into the means of developing empathy. Humility helps us remember that the truth is not something we cherish, but something that is going to be discovered and does not involve a contest.

In addition to this, humility is necessary to the health of humanism in the long run. Based on reason, movements based on compassion may fail because some certainty has solidified into dogma. Through their intellectual humility providing examples, humanists keep their philosophy dynamic, flexible and presentable–able to respond to new ethical, scientific and social predicaments graciously and perceptively.

The humanist value of reason is needed, perhaps more than ever, in a world where people are polarized, rigidly stuck to their ideologies, and finding shelter in social media echo chambers. But unless accompanied with humility, reason will become the instrument of a moral posture instead of ethical teaching.

Through intellectual humility, humanists will be able to guard themselves against dogmatism, enrich the discussion of the masses and generate true sympathy and compassion. Humility has no disaffirmative effect–it instead fortifies conviction. It enables humanists to explore complexity in a curious, courageous and compassionate way. It works certainty out of a pose into a discipline, so that our moral imagination is not narrowed, and our activity in the world is highly in the nature of humanity.

Concisely, intellectual humility is not something that humanists would wish to shun–it is part of our philosophy. By nurturing it, we celebrate the same values that constitute humanism: the desire to know, the willingness to be morally introspective and the ability to feel genuine compassion and interest towards our fellow human beings.