The jury is out at the advantage of humility. most folks locate humility a extra appealing personality trait in others than its opposites of satisfaction and conceitedness. but many philosophers, be they old or smooth, locate little price in humility as a advantage. For the Aristotelian ethical culture, humility is an obstacle to greatness. sleek philosophers take this sentiment additional, saying that humility is a sham advantage that ends up in disappointment and human debasement. The Christian highbrow culture, even if, presents a distinction to those adverse value determinations of humility. St. Augustine of Hippo is an eloquent and powerful proponent of humility's worth. in contrast to the thinkers of the classical and glossy philosophic traditions, Augustine asserts that humility is not just an important advantage; it's the necessary origin of human greatness. The Greatness of Humility strains how Augustine makes his argument concerning the significance of humility and indicates how his place measures as much as these of his philosophical rivals.

"While philosophers might debate the worth of humility, these engaged in chief improvement comprehend absolutely the necessity of this advantage . . . McInerney's contribution to this figuring out is necessary. The Greatness of Humility offers practising leaders a street map for navigating a severe section of their very own personality and a framework for contemplating it in others. His transparent causes of the paintings of Augustine, Hume, and Nietzsche becomes a part of my undergraduate, graduate, and govt classrooms."
--Joseph J. Thomas, Chair and uncommon Professor of management schooling,
United States Naval Academy

"Too frequently, humility is known basically as a reduced opinion of oneself. much less explored is the biblical fact that humility is a prerequisite for either piety and compassion, either love of God and love of neighbor. regardless of millennia of Christian compliment for it, humility continues to be as radical this day as in St. Augustine's time. absolute to problem and increase, this publication is interesting and well timed. A must-read for the intense Christian."
--Carl Anderson, splendid Knight, Knights of Columbus

Joseph J. McInerney is affiliate Director for making plans and review, department of management schooling on the usa Naval Academy. A Commander with greater than two decades of active-duty carrier within the usa military, he bought a doctorate in systematic theology from the Catholic college of the US in 2012.