generosity

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Generosity is considered a virtue .

Essence

It consists in giving other services or values ​​to an extent that goes beyond the normal measure or what is usually expected, without obligation or compulsion. In general, generosity does not count as calculated tactical behavior that counts on adequate consideration or tries to bring it about. However, this does not exclude that such consideration is provided or is common (see for example the potlatch among Indian peoples).

description

The generous one does not cling to trifles or overlook the unimportant or mistakes of others. In architecture, generosity means a building with large, airy rooms. Aristotle sees the character virtue of generosity ( eleutheriotes ) as the right middle point between extravagance ( asotia ) and stinginess or greed ( aneleutheria ).

literature

  • Helmuth Berking, donation. On the anthropology of giving , Frankfurt / M. / New York 1996
  • Tibor R. Machan , Generosity. Virtue in Civil Society , Washington 1998
  • Tor Nørretranders , On Generous Behavior Generating Sex. Why we love beautiful things and do good . Reinbek 2006
  • Thomas Ramge, After the Ego Society. Who gives wins - The new culture of generosity , Munich and Zurich 2006

Web links

Wiktionary: Generosity  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Knaur: The German dictionary, lexicographical institute Munich 1985, page 477
  2. Janin Huse: The Mesotes-Doctrine of Aristotle: Presentation and Problems . GRIN Verlag, 2011, ISBN 978-3-656-03528-2 , pp. 4 ( limited preview in Google Book search).