<font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">People believe” intellectuals are open-minded”. Intellectuals are people who study a lot and they think different and open new gates in science. For example Galileo Galilei thought different and he disagree with his era common beliefs. He said “the earth isn’t center of universe”. He rejected public view. All of scientists broke and refused stereotypes. As a result, now we live more comfortable and easier rather than our ancestors. Science is production of disagreement. I believe if we accept and respect to all beliefs and opinions there isn’t any development. There weren’t any electricity power, car, plane, chemical drugs, election, education and etc. As you know in some countries, females don’t have any right for voting, education and even drive car!!!</font>
<font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">Do you think we must respect and accept all ideas and beliefs? </font>
<font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">Base on definition of “open-minded”, do you think inventor, scientists and intellectual are open-minded?!!!</font>
<font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">Base on definition of “open-minded”, do you think it is a positive character or negative or neutral?</font>
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<font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font>I see this characteristic generally as a positive trait. Inventors, scientists and intellectuals generally would entertain (consider) new ideas or opinions. However, it doesn't mean you should accept new ideas or opinions just on face value. You should still be using your head to check whether that new or different idea or opinion possibly makes any sense. Scientists, in particular, would do research or carry out experiments to either prove or disprove a particular (idea) hypothesis.
Another point of your discussion is whether or not we should respect and accept all ideas and beliefs.
I don't think so. Whilst we can maintain a high degree of tolerance, some people may have ideas and beliefs that are in direct conflict with our core values in society. For example, I hold a core value to respect all human life so I would directly oppose someone who believes killing people based on a particular physical trait is fine. By the same token, I belief that people should have a right to a fair trial, so would strongly oppose having a single person being selected as the judge, jury and executioner.
I think it is a positive quality. Notice that the definition you quote is is "willingness to consider and accept..." I think "consider" is the key word here. I don't think the definition is correct if it means that being open-minded means you accept all ideas, even contradictory ideas.
I think you can be open-minded if you seriously consider a new idea, even if--after giving it a fair hearing--you reject it. ahdictionary.com's definition is simply "Receptive to new and different ideas or the opinions of others."
Scientists are human and subject to human frailties, and frankly Galileo was a bit obstinate and pig-headed. But in general, yes, I think scientists need to be open-minded. The big thing that makes scientists different from most other professions is that scientists, really, truly want to find out what's true. Of course they hope for an important, or at least a publishable result, but they do the experiment anyway, knowing it might not turn up anything.
If a scientist performs an experiment, it means that she accepts the possibility that the experiment will confirm the hypothesis, and she also accepts the possibility that it will disprove the hypothesis. If she were closed-minded, she would say "Why do the experiment? I already know the truth."
I like to think of myself as open-minded, but I'm probably not as open-minded as I think I am.
