Curiosity has taken a winding path through intellectual history, from Early Christian vice to Enlightenment virtue and beyond. This original volume sees contemporary philosophers and psychologists examining the nature and value of curiosity, shedding light on some of its most interesting features and exploring its role in human experience. Authors examine the nature and history of curiosity, the psychology of curiosity and its relationship to interest, understanding, and desire, the impact of language in shaping our curiosity, the cultivation and measurement of curiosity, and the vital part that curiosity can and should play in education. With perspectives on curiosity from all over the world, this diverse, interdisciplinary collection provides an in-depth and multi-faceted examination of the epistemological, psychological, moral, and educative dimensions of curiosity.

Introduction / Part 1: Nature of Curiosity / 1. Interest, Questions, and Knowledge Kevin Mulligan / 2. Curiosity, Truth, and Knowledge Ilhan Inan / 3. Curiosity, Its Objects and Varieties Nenad Miš¿evi¿ / Part 2: Moral Dimensions of Curiosity / 4. Pre-modern Christian Perspectives on Curiosity Kent Dunnington / 5. Curiosity as an Intellectual Virtue Safiye Yigit / 6. Asking the Right Questions? Confucian Curiosity and Moral Self-Cultivation Ian James KiddPart 3: Psychological Dimensions of Curiosity / 7. Constructing and Validating a Scale of Inquisitive Curiosity Kathryn Iurino, Brian Robinson, Markus Christen, Paul Stey, and Mark Alfano / 8. Examining Curiosity as Psychological Virtue and Vice Megan Haggard / 9. Some Epistemic Roles For Curiosity Dennis Whitcomb / Part 4: Epistemological Dimensions of Curiosity / 10. Curiosity, Virtuous Insensitivity, and Luck Reduction Abrol Fairweather and Carlos Montemayor / 11. Curiosity and Understanding Michael S. Brady / 12. Curiosity and Epistemic Norms Pascal Engel / Part 5: Educational Dimensions of Curiosity / 13. Fostering curiosity with Socratic exemplars: Considering the traditional Japanese idea of exemplars in learning Kunimasa Sato / 14. Educating for Curiosity Lani Watson