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Article by Emma Wilkins; Source: John Templeton Foundation;
Generosity is a peculiar phenomenon. Researchers in recent years have observed, analyzed, and classified seemingly “generous” behavior—they have run experiments, drawn conclusions, and gained insight—but there’s a limit: no human can see inside another’s heart. For philosophers like Wake Forest University’s Dr. Christian Miller, however, accounting for the heart is critical.
As a researcher who has studied virtue for 15 years, Miller draws careful distinctions between a “generous act,” “acting from generosity,” and “being a generous person.” A one-off donation of $100 might constitute a “generous act,” but if the donor’s primary aim is to earn praise, or alleviate guilt, or feel good about themself, they’re not “acting from generosity.”
To be truly generous, their primary motive should be altruistic, Miller says. Not only that, they should go above and beyond what duty requires, and be willing to sacrifice something they value.
The bar for being a generous person is higher still. It requires a person to act from generosity consistently and continually, across a wide variety of circumstances and relationships…
Emma Wilkins is a Tasmanian journalist whose freelance work has been published by news outlets, print magazines, and literary journals in Australia and beyond. She has a particular interest in relationships, literature, culture, ethics, and belief.
