Analysis of three definitions of humility; The approaches of Aristotle, Augustine and Julia Driver

Modesty is a rather neglected virtue today. In this paper, I consider different and divergent definitions of this virtue and finally I criticize the main three approaches to modesty. Aristotle’s approach as a full-fledged representative of the ancient world asserts that modesty is not a virtue. Saint Augustin not only characterizes modesty as a virtue but also as the most fundamental virtue in human and faithful life. Julia Driver, the contemporary philosopher, adopts a totally different approach, suggesting that true modesty implies epistemic flaws and relative ignorance of one’s own self. In this paper, I propose that modesty should be defined at three levels: behavioral or external, spiritual or internal, and existential in order to overcome some of the challenges before these three approaches