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Intellectual Autonomy

Oscar Piedrahita

The course will provide an overview of philosophical questions about intellectual autonomy, our ability to govern ourselves as thinkers. “Thinking for yourself” is a traditional educational emphasis; but recent history has also dramatized the risks of “doing your own research” instead of trusting experts on topics from climate change to vaccine risks to election outcomes. Meanwhile, the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT illustrates the possibility of “outsourcing” some of our thinking to technology; and problems of misinformation press us to consider how individuals and governments can permissibly shape people’s intellectual behavior. This course brings these topics into perspective by considering how the value of intellectual autonomy relates to our dependence on other people, labor-saving tools, and healthy informational environments.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Overview of Intellectual Autonomy
An introduction to the idea of intellectual autonomy and its possible benefits and drawbacks, along with an overview of the remaining course modules.
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Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Examines the value of intellectual autonomy in relation to dependence on others, tools, and informational environments, which is highly relevant in today's society
Explores the relationship between intellectual autonomy and cognitive offloading strategies, which is a growing area of interest with the rise of AI tools
Considers how intellectual autonomy is respected when people are persuaded, which is relevant to fields like marketing, politics, and education
Provides an overview of the epistemology of testimony, which is a core topic in understanding how we acquire knowledge from others

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Reviews summary

Philosophical look at intellectual autonomy

According to learners, this course offers a thought-provoking and relevant exploration of intellectual autonomy, particularly in the context of modern challenges like misinformation and AI. Students frequently highlight the quality of lectures and the instructor's expertise as positives. While many find the content deep and rewarding, a significant point of discussion is the course's philosophical depth; some appreciate the rigorous theoretical foundation, while others find it too abstract and wished for more practical applications. The readings are often described as challenging, potentially requiring prior comfort with academic or philosophical texts. Overall, it's seen as a valuable course for developing critical thinking, though its suitability may depend on the learner's preference for theory vs. practice and philosophical background.
Lectures are clear and insightful.
"The lectures were clear and engaging..."
"The instructor is knowledgeable and presents complex ideas accessibly."
"The instructor's insights are brilliant."
"The lectures are informative..."
"The lectures were okay, but sometimes drifted into abstract concepts..."
Offers a rigorous philosophical perspective.
"Brilliant course that provides a deep dive into the philosophical underpinnings of intellectual independence."
"A valuable philosophical perspective on critical thinking."
"Exactly what I was looking for. A rigorous philosophical examination of intellectual autonomy..."
"Leans philosophical, so be prepared for that."
"It provides a solid theoretical foundation."
Highly relevant to modern issues.
"The concepts around cognitive outsourcing and misinformation are highly relevant today. Highly recommend for anyone interested in critical thinking."
"A solid exploration of intellectual autonomy. The modules on testimony and experts were particularly strong and timely."
"Excellent course! ... relevant philosophical content for today's world."
"Thought-provoking course on a highly relevant topic. The structure makes sense..."
"This course is essential viewing for anyone living in the 21st century. It provides the intellectual toolkit needed..."
"It directly addresses the paradox of 'thinking for yourself' vs. relying on expertise in complex domains."
May require prior philosophy exposure.
"Requires a significant background in philosophy, which wasn't clearly stated upfront."
"The lectures assumed prior knowledge..."
"Assumes too much prior knowledge."
Readings are dense and demanding.
"The readings were challenging but rewarding."
"Some readings were quite dense."
"Requires a significant background in philosophy... the readings were impenetrable."
"The readings are heavy, definitely allocate sufficient time."
"The readings are definitely for those comfortable with academic texts."
Focus is theoretical, less on application.
"Interesting topic, but the course felt a bit too philosophical for my taste. I was hoping for more practical tools..."
"The focus was too theoretical and didn't provide actionable insights for dealing with everyday information overload. Disappointing."
"Too theoretical, not enough practical application. The discussions felt abstract and detached from the real-world problems..."
"While the concepts are clear, applying them can be tricky without further examples."
"It's a good theoretical overview, but didn't quite meet my expectation for immediate applicability."
"Decent overview... some parts were hard to connect to practical scenarios. Expected a bit more on applying these ideas."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Intellectual Autonomy with these activities:
Epistemic Authority: A Theory of Trust, Authority, and Autonomy in Belief
Deepen understanding of epistemic authority and its relationship to intellectual autonomy.
View Epistemic Authority on Amazon
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of the book.
  • Read the introduction and first three chapters.
  • Take notes on key arguments and concepts.
  • Reflect on how the ideas relate to the course.
Review epistemology concepts
Strengthen foundational knowledge of epistemology to better understand the course's philosophical arguments.
Show steps
  • Review notes from previous philosophy courses.
  • Read articles on epistemology.
  • Complete practice questions on epistemology.
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Gain insights into cognitive biases that can affect intellectual autonomy.
View Thinking, Fast and Slow on Amazon
Show steps
  • Acquire a copy of the book.
  • Read the sections on cognitive biases.
  • Identify biases in your own thinking.
  • Consider how biases impact autonomy.
Three other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all six activities
Debate the ethics of nudging
Engage in a structured debate to explore the ethical implications of nudging and its impact on intellectual autonomy.
Show steps
  • Form debate teams with classmates.
  • Research arguments for and against nudging.
  • Participate in the debate.
  • Reflect on the different perspectives.
Write a short essay on the risks of 'doing your own research'
Explore the dangers of misinformation and the importance of relying on credible sources.
Show steps
  • Research examples of harmful misinformation.
  • Outline the essay's main points.
  • Write a draft of the essay.
  • Revise and edit the essay.
Create a presentation on cognitive outsourcing
Investigate the relationship between intellectual autonomy and cognitive outsourcing, presenting findings in a clear and engaging manner.
Show steps
  • Research cognitive outsourcing strategies.
  • Develop a presentation outline.
  • Create presentation slides.
  • Practice the presentation.

Career center

Learners who complete Intellectual Autonomy will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Philosopher
A philosopher deeply examines fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, and values. This often involves analyzing arguments, developing theories, and critically evaluating different perspectives. This course provides a strong foundation for those interested in becoming a philosopher, particularly with its focus on intellectual autonomy, which lies at the heart of philosophical inquiry. The course directly addresses the ability to govern ourselves as thinkers, a crucial skill for any philosopher. The course module on persuasion helps the philosopher who wishes to persuade others.
See salaries and explore the career path for Philosopher
Critical Thinking Consultant
A critical thinking consultant trains individuals and organizations to improve their reasoning, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. They conduct workshops, develop training materials, and provide guidance on applying critical thinking techniques in various contexts. The course provides excellent preparation for a critical thinking consultant. By exploring intellectual autonomy, testimony, cognitive outsourcing, and persuasion, the course offers a framework for understanding and improving critical thinking skills.
See salaries and explore the career path for Critical Thinking Consultant
Media Literacy Educator
A media literacy educator teaches individuals how to critically analyze and evaluate media messages, helping them become informed and discerning consumers of information. This course provides relevant knowledge and perspectives for a media literacy educator. By exploring intellectual autonomy, testimony, cognitive outsourcing, and persuasion, the course offers a framework for understanding and combating misinformation.
See salaries and explore the career path for Media Literacy Educator
Science Communicator
A science communicator bridges the gap between scientific research and the general public, conveying complex information in an accessible and engaging way. The rise of misinformation regarding climate change and vaccine risks highlights the importance of effective science communication. This course offers insights into how people form beliefs and trust experts, which are critical for a science communicator. The topics covered in the course relating to trust in experts is of particular benefit in this role.
See salaries and explore the career path for Science Communicator
Journalist
A journalist investigates and reports on current events, providing information to the public through various media channels. This includes conducting interviews, verifying facts, and crafting compelling narratives. Journalists, especially those covering science, technology, or politics, benefit from understanding how people form beliefs and trust experts. By offering insights into intellectual autonomy and the dangers of misinformation, this course is helpful to journalists.
See salaries and explore the career path for Journalist
Political Scientist
A political scientist studies the theory and practice of politics and government. Their work often involves analyzing political systems, policies, and behavior, as well as conducting research and forecasting political trends. Political scientists benefit from understanding how individuals form their beliefs and make decisions, particularly in relation to trust in experts and the influence of information. This course enhances critical thinking about persuasion and misinformation, benefiting the work of a political scientist in understanding political behavior and the formation of public opinion.
See salaries and explore the career path for Political Scientist
Editor
An editor is responsible for reviewing and preparing content for publication. This involves ensuring accuracy, clarity, and consistency, as well as adhering to established style guidelines. Editors benefit from understanding how individuals form beliefs and make decisions, as well as the risks of misinformation. This course enhances critical thinking about persuasion and misinformation, benefiting the work of an editor in ensuring the integrity of published content.
See salaries and explore the career path for Editor
Science Writer
A science writer communicates scientific information to a general audience, often simplifying complex topics while maintaining accuracy. With the rise of misinformation regarding climate change and vaccine risks, effective science communication is more critical than ever. By offering insights into how people form beliefs and trust experts, this course may be useful for a science writer. The course's exploration of intellectual autonomy helps science writers craft clear and compelling narratives.
See salaries and explore the career path for Science Writer
Ethicist
An ethicist examines moral principles and values to guide individual and societal behavior. This involves analyzing ethical dilemmas, developing ethical frameworks, and advising organizations or individuals on ethical decision-making. This course directly addresses the core concerns of an ethicist by exploring intellectual autonomy and its relationship to our dependence on others and informational environments. The module on persuasion offers additional benefit. This course may be helpful should you wish to become an ethicist.
See salaries and explore the career path for Ethicist
Public Policy Advisor
A public policy advisor provides expert advice and recommendations to government officials or organizations on the development and implementation of public policies. This course directly relates to this role by examining how governments can permissibly shape people's intellectual behavior. A public policy advisor benefits substantially from the course discussions around persuasion, nudges, and intellectual autonomy. This course may be helpful should you wish to become a public policy advisor.
See salaries and explore the career path for Public Policy Advisor
Academic Librarian
An academic librarian supports the teaching, research, and learning needs of a college or university community. They curate collections, provide research assistance, and teach information literacy skills. The course's exploration of intellectual autonomy and its relation to dependence on other people informs the librarian in guiding students to research effectively and critically evaluate sources. This course may be helpful should you wish to become an academic librarian.
See salaries and explore the career path for Academic Librarian
Instructional Designer
An instructional designer creates engaging and effective learning experiences by applying principles of pedagogy and instructional technology. This course enhances the designer's understanding of how people learn and process information, influencing the design of more effective educational materials and strategies. The topics covered in the course, such as cognitive outsourcing, are relevant to the task of designing educational curricula. This course may be helpful should you wish to become an instructional designer.
See salaries and explore the career path for Instructional Designer
Curriculum Developer
A curriculum developer designs and develops educational curricula and programs, ensuring they meet learning objectives and align with educational standards. The course provides insights into the core principles of intellectual autonomy, giving you an advantage in creating curricula that promote independent thinking and critical evaluation of information. The course may be helpful should you wish to become a curriculum developer.
See salaries and explore the career path for Curriculum Developer
Cognitive Scientist
A cognitive scientist investigates the nature of human thought, learning, and memory. Cognitive scientists greatly benefit from critically examining core concepts such as intellectual autonomy and cognitive outsourcing. This course provides a valuable framework for understanding how individuals govern themselves as thinkers and how external factors influence cognitive processes. Those who wish to become cognitive scientists may find this course to be of use.
See salaries and explore the career path for Cognitive Scientist
Information Architect
An information architect designs and organizes information systems to ensure they are usable, accessible, and effective. Information architects require an understanding of how users process information and make decisions. The course's focus on healthy informational environments and the impact of misinformation informs the design choices made by an information architect. The course module on cognitive outsourcing will also be particularly relevant.
See salaries and explore the career path for Information Architect

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Intellectual Autonomy.
Cover image
Epistemic Authority
Save
Provides a deep dive into the concept of epistemic authority, which is central to understanding intellectual autonomy, especially in the context of expert testimony. Zagzebski explores how we can justifiably trust others as sources of knowledge without sacrificing our own intellectual independence. It valuable resource for understanding the philosophical underpinnings of relying on experts and navigating the complexities of intellectual dependence.
Epistemic Authority
Paperback
Check
Epistemic Authority
Kindle Edition
Check
Cover image
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Save
Explores the two systems of thinking that drive the way we make choices and judgments. Understanding these cognitive biases is crucial for recognizing how our intellectual autonomy can be compromised by unconscious processes. While not directly focused on intellectual autonomy, it provides valuable insights into the psychological factors that influence our thinking and decision-making, making it a useful supplementary read.
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Paperback
Check
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Kindle Edition
Check

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Effort
4 weeks of study, 3-4 hours per week
Level
Intermediate
Via
Coursera
Institution
University of Glasgow
Instructor
Oscar Piedrahita
Session
March 17, 2025 - March 24, 2025
Language
English
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Examines the value of intellectual autonomy in relation to dependence on others, tools, and informational environments, which is highly relevant in today's society
Explores the relationship between intellectual autonomy and cognitive offloading strategies, which is a growing area of interest with the rise of AI tools
Considers how intellectual autonomy is respected when people are persuaded, which is relevant to fields like marketing, politics, and education
Provides an overview of the epistemology of testimony, which is a core topic in understanding how we acquire knowledge from others
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