Logic

Is it logically contradictory for a person to say that they are humble, in a broad sense? After all, humility is generally considered a desirable quality.

Comments

Great question. It would be self-refuting for a person to arrogantly claim they are humble (assuming, I think correctly, that arrogance and humility are incompatable), but insofar as one can say (with humiility) that one is humble there is nothing practically or logically contradictory at stake (in my view). Perhaps the reason why we think it would be at least odd for a humble person to mention that she is humble is that we expect a humble person to not be self-conscious of the fact or feel the need to draw attention to herself and humility.

The definition of humility is a bit tricky, though I suggest that it is different not just from vanity but from false humiility or excessive self-deprecation. The person who thinks she is the worst person in the world may not be humble at all, but wierdly narcissistic and full of self-hate or simply melodrama. A number of phiilosophers actually identify humility with proper pride. That may not seem intuitively right, but a good case can be made that a humble person does not entertain lots of inflated or deflated views of her talents and failures; a humble person takes a proper view of her character, without blowing out of proportion her status as a champion or abject failure.

I think you are right that humility is generally considered a desirable quality. Indeed, I think it is the key to good philosophy: humility requires holding one's views without arrogance and being open to objections and alternatives. I think humility can widen one's openness to the world and others. Although I have proposed in my reply to your questiion that it is not logically contradictory for a person to claim to be humble, I will NOT claim that I am humble --though I think I can say that I try to be (however awful I may fail in the task) and that humility is an ideal well worth striving for!

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