The Measure of Greatness: Philosophers on Magnanimity

The Measure of Greatness explores a central feature of ancient philosophical ideals of human excellence: magnanimity, or ‘greatness of soul’. It is a virtue that has led many lives and that has met with scepticism and suspicion in more recent times. The contributors to this volume explore philosophical and theological approaches to magnanimity, seeking to provide a more sustained and unified insight into the historical development of this virtue. The book elucidates a more inclusive history through charting the varied expressions of ‘greatness of soul’ among ancient philosophers, medieval Christian and Muslim thinkers, and intellectuals in the early modern and modern period. It also provides a framework for evaluating the enduring significance of the virtue – and the visions – of human greatness that it embodies.