The Greatness of Humility: St. Augustine on Moral Excellence

· Wipf and Stock Publishers
Ebook
208
Pages
Eligible

About this ebook

The jury is out on the virtue of humility. Most people find humility a more attractive character trait in others than its opposites of pride and arrogance. Yet many philosophers, be they ancient or modern, find little value in humility as a virtue. For the Aristotelian moral tradition, humility is an impediment to greatness. Modern philosophers take this sentiment further, asserting that humility is a sham virtue that leads to unhappiness and human debasement. The Christian intellectual tradition, however, provides a contrast to these negative appraisals of humility. St. Augustine of Hippo is an eloquent and robust proponent of humility's value. Unlike the thinkers of the classical and modern philosophic traditions, Augustine asserts that humility is not only a significant virtue; it is the indispensable foundation of human greatness. The Greatness of Humility traces how Augustine makes his argument regarding the importance of humility and shows how his position measures up to those of his philosophical rivals.

About the author

Joseph J. McInerney is Associate Director for Planning and Assessment, Division of Leadership Education at the United States Naval Academy. A Commander with more than twenty years of active-duty service in the United States Navy, he received a doctorate in systematic theology from the Catholic University of America in 2012.

Rate this ebook

Tell us what you think.

Reading information

Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.