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Applied Philosophy for Health Professions Education pp 351–370Cite as

The Ambiguities of Humility: A Conceptual and Historical Exploration in the Context of Health Professions Education

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Abstract

To better understand the philosophy of humility within the context of healthcare delivery and health professions education, it is essential to explore the dynamic history of the concept of humility. In this chapter, we pay special attention to the ambiguities of humility and provide a brief overview of philosophical thought related to humility through antiquity, classic Christian theology, the Enlightenment, and from the perspective of more contemporary philosophical scholars. In particular, we consider how the mounting (conceptual) ambiguities of humility over time relates to the overarching perception of humility within healthcare delivery and health professions education. We conclude by offering new directions for humility research within these specific fields.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The term “Gordian Knot” is often used as a metaphor for a complex, intricate, perhaps unsolvable problem. It is featured in a myth associated with Alexander the Great (i.e., “cutting the Gordian knot”).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, CAIPER, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    Barret Michalec

  2. Division of General Internal Medicine and Program in Professionalism and Values, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    Frederic W. Hafferty

  3. School of Medicine, Phoenix Regional Campus, Creighton University, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    Nicole Piemonte

  4. Division of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA

    Jon C. Tilburt

  5. Biomedical Ethics Research Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    Jon C. Tilburt

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  1. Barret Michalec
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  2. Frederic W. Hafferty
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  3. Nicole Piemonte
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  4. Jon C. Tilburt
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Correspondence to Barret Michalec .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Imperial College London, London, UK

    Megan E. L. Brown

  2. Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Mario Veen

  3. The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

    Gabrielle Maria Finn

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Michalec, B., Hafferty, F.W., Piemonte, N., Tilburt, J.C. (2022). The Ambiguities of Humility: A Conceptual and Historical Exploration in the Context of Health Professions Education. In: Brown, M.E.L., Veen, M., Finn, G.M. (eds) Applied Philosophy for Health Professions Education. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-1512-3_24

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