Jason Baehr, an associate professor of philosophy at Loyola Marymount University, will deliver a lecture at Whitworth University next week on the virtues of the mind and why they matter.

He's an expert in the field of virtue theory and author of "The Inquiring Mind: On Intellectual Virtues and Virtue Epistemology." In his text he explains "responsibilist" or character-based virtue-epistemology, which is an approach in which intellectual character traits like open-mindedness, fair-mindedness, inquisitiveness, and intellectual courage, rigor, and generosity are given a central and fundamental role, according to a book review.

Linda Zagzebski an expert on intellectual virtues described Baehr as, "the most sophisticated study of the intellectual virtues to date."

Baehr is currently conducting research for his Intellectual Virtues Education Project, funded by more than $1 million in grants from the John Templeton Foundation.

His lecture will be at 7 p.m. on Nov. 7 at Whitworth University’s Robinson Teaching Theatre in Weyerhaeuser Hall. Admission is free.