Is Curiosity a Virtue in Itself?

Aristotle opens the Metaphysics by saying that human beings naturally desire to know. Curiosity makes us notice differences, ask for causes and learn beyond immediate usefulness. Yet wanting to know does not automatically make every inquiry good.

Aquinas distinguishes knowledge itself from the desire and effort involved in pursuing it. He treats study directed by reason as a virtue, but argues that inquiry can become disordered: someone may collect knowledge for display, neglect responsibilities that deserve attention, or seek information by an improper method. The point is not to ban particular questions, but to examine the purpose, order and means of inquiry.

Suppose a colleague leaves a private medical report on a shared desk. You could acquire true information from it, and it is within reach. But “I was curious” does not remove the colleague's authority over who may know about their health. An imminent danger or a defined duty might provide a reason to look or seek help; ordinary prying does not.

My view is that curiosity is an important capacity, but not an unconditional virtue. It resists indifference, yet it must work with respect, honesty and responsibility. Good curiosity asks not only “What is hidden here?” but also “Why should I know, how should I find out, and to whom will I be answerable afterwards?”

https://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/metaphysics.1.i.html
https://www.newadvent.org/summa/3167.htm