Virtues of Greatness: Approaches to the Past and Present of Magnanimity

Magnanimity is a virtue that has led many lives. A signature element of ancient ethics, it passed into the Christian and Islamic traditions and continued life in a variety of forms in later philosophy. The aim of this conference is to provide a window to the complex life of a virtue whose glitter has at times been as heady as it has been divisive. By exploring the many lives it has led and the themes and contexts that have shaped it, we will be in a better position to assess its enduring relevance.

This event has been made possible by the generous support of the British Academy, the Mind Association, the British Society for the History of Philosophy, and the College of Arts and Law at the University of Birmingham.