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Scientia et Fides

The Role of Curiosity in Successful Collaboration
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The Role of Curiosity in Successful Collaboration

Authors

  • Lani Watson University of Oxford https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9883-3670

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12775/SetF.2022.017

Keywords

Curiosity, Collaboration, Questions, Good Questioning, Intellectual Virtue

Abstract

In this paper, I focus on the role of curiosity as a key motivating factor in successful collaboration for interdisciplinary research. I argue that curiosity is an important, perhaps essential component of successful collaboration for interdisciplinary teams. I begin by defining curiosity and highlighting the significance of the characteristic motivation of the virtue for successful collaboration. I argue that curiosity initiates, maintains, and coordinates successful collaborative interdisciplinary research. Moreover, if curiosity is a foundational intellectual virtue, then it is not only important but essential for successful collaboration. I then draw attention to a specific type of curiosity, namely inquisitiveness, and argue that the defining feature of inquisitiveness – good questioning – renders it a particularly valuable form of curiosity for collaborative projects, including (although not limited to) interdisciplinary research. I conclude by deriving some practical recommendations for successful collaboration in interdisciplinary research.

References

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Scientia et Fides

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Published

2022-12-07

How to Cite

1.
WATSON, Lani. The Role of Curiosity in Successful Collaboration. Scientia et Fides. Online. 7 December 2022. Vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 31-49. [Accessed 1 July 2025]. DOI 10.12775/SetF.2022.017.
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Vol. 10 No. 2 (2022): Intellectual virtues for interdisciplinary research in Science and the Big Questions

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