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Why does modesty or humility count as a virtue? - Coggle Diagram
Why
does modesty or humility count as a virtue?
accounts of modesty and humility aim to explain its normative status
Aristotle, D. Hume and B. Franklin are singled out as denying that modesty or humility really are virtuous.
Hume
doubted whether modesty is a virtue
includes modesty in his list of “
monkish virtues
”
“monkish virtues” are various non-virtuous traits associated with self-denial that masquerade as virtues
Other examples of monkish virtues given by Hume include celibacy, fasting, silence, and solitude
According to Hume these pseudo-virtues “… stupefy the understanding and harden the heart, obscure the fancy and sour the temper”
is opposed to impudence and arrogance
expresses a diffidence of our own judgement, and a due attention and regard for others
sign of good sense in young men
means of augmenting endowment in good sense and in education
Aristotle
denies
that modesty is a virtue (Raterman 2006; Brennan, 2007)
Aristotle thinks that a virtuous person is justified in making claims about their own merit
Aristotle’s ideal of the great-souled man (megalopsuchos), who deserves honors and knows it, is in contrast with modesty and humility as a virtue.
the Greek term
aidōs
is sometimes translated as ‘modesty’ but also commonly rendered as ‘shame’
supports
the idea that modesty is a virtue (Driver, 1989)
truthful person is inclined to understate the truth
intellectual humility as an Aristotelian mean state between dogmatism and timidity (Hazlett, 2012)
other Greek philosophers use the term
aidōs
to name a virtue
Epictetus, for example, uses it to refer to a good quality that involves taking other people’s point of view into consideration
Franklin
initially excluded humility when drawing up a list of virtues he wished to develop
added it only after a Quaker friend mentioned that Franklin was often overbearing and insolent in conversation
describes humility as "Imitate Jesus and Socrates"
This anticipates contemporary discussion of intellectual humility as both a moral and epistemic virtue
the bulk of contemporary work
assumes that modesty and humility are virtues
sees the main challenge as explaining
why
For many humility/modesty was seen as valuable because of its
theological
role
Aquinas says that humility is important
because
humility makes one open to God’s grace
Others have found humility virtuous
because
of the non-religious good effects humility produces
combating jealousy and making social interactions run more smoothly
Others locate the source of humility's virtuousness in the underlying attitude humility manifests
kindness and concern for others
Still others argue that humility is virtuous because humility is a fitting response to certain morally relevant features of the world
equal moral status of all people